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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Wait and see mode: VP Sara's impeachment not yet done—lawyer

Wait and see mode: VP Sara's impeachment not yet done—lawyer

Published Jul 29, 2025 10:01 am
Admitting that the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte is not yet dismissed, lawyer Michael Poa has assured that the defense team is “ready” to face future legal challenges to clear the country’s second-highest official from the allegations.

Vice President Sara Duterte leads the Office of the Vice President's (OVP)
Vice President Sara Duterte leads the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) "Kasarilayaan," an annual Pride Reception celebrating Pride Month, held in San Fernando, Pampanga on June 25, 2025. (Santi San Juan/MANILA BULLETIN)
In an interview on True FM on Monday, July 28, Poa stressed that despite questioning the constitutionality of the impeachment case before the Supreme Court, both Duterte and her defense team are prepared to answer the allegations in the proper venue.

“In fact, ang ating Bise Presidente mismo nagsabi kamakailan lang na talaga namang handa siya na harapin itong mga aligasyon na ito (our Vice President herself said that she is ready to face these allegations),” he said in response to a recent survey showing that 80 percent of the respondents want Duterte to answer the impeachment complaint.

“Tayo naman sa defense team, matagal na tayong naghahanda at tuloy-tuloy pa rin naman ang paghahanda para harapin itong mga alegasyon na ito (For us in the defense team, we have long been ready and we continue to prepare to face these allegations),” Poa, also the spokesperson of the defense team, added.

He also acknowledged the “right” and the “prerogative” of the House of Representatives to file a Motion for Reconsideration in the Supreme Court to challenge its recent decision declaring the impeachment complaint against Duterte as unconstitutional.

Duterte’s lawyer recognized as well that the Senate, which has supposedly acquired jurisdiction over the impeachment complaint after it summoned the Vice President earlier, could put the progress—whether to outrightly dismiss or to proceed—of the trial to a vote.

“I think it’s actually safe to say na hindi pa po talaga tapos ito. I'm sure sabi nga natin may MR pa (this is not yet the end. I’m sure as we said there’s still an MR) and we don't know what will be happening in the next few days. So tayo rin nakaantabay lang at handa tayo (So we’re just monitoring and we’re ready),” he stressed.

As one of Duterte’s 16-member defense team, Poa reiterated the Supreme Court’s decision, stating that the complaint was void, that it violated the one-year bar rule, and that Senate could not acquire jurisdiction over the case because it was invalid from the start.

The spokesperson also maintained that the decision of the high court was “immediately executory.”

In the verified complaint sent to Senate, there were seven Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President.

Among these are betrayal of public trust for an assassination threat against President Marcos, his wife, and the House Speaker, betrayal of public trust and graft and corruption due to the misuse of public funds, betrayal of public trust and bribery within DepEd, violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust due to unexplained wealth, commission of high crimes due to involvement in extrajudicial killings, betrayal of public trust due to alleged destabilization plots, and betrayal of public trust due to her unbecoming conduct as Vice President.

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Supreme Court VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial Michael Poa unconstitutional
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