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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Duterte camp employing 'delaying tactics' on impeachment, says solons

VP Duterte camp employing 'delaying tactics' on impeachment, says solons

Published Feb 21, 2025 05:31 am

At A Glance

  • "If Vice President [Sara] Duterte has done nothing wrong, why is she so afraid of the truth?"
  • Thus, asked Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre as he slammed the Vice President's move of attempting to block her impeachment via the Supreme Court (SC).

"If Vice President [Sara] Duterte has done nothing wrong, why is she so afraid of the truth?"

Thus, asked Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre as he slammed the Vice President's move of attempting to block her impeachment via the Supreme Court (SC).

For Acidre, stopping the impeachment process through the High Court "only raises more doubts", as he asserted that "transparency is fundamental in any democratic government".

Sara Duterte
Vice President Sara Duterte (SANTI SAN JUAN/Manila Bulletin)

The lawmaker also recalled that it was not the first time Duterte attempted to suppress scrutiny over her actions.

During a congressional hearing last year, it was discovered that her office tried to prevent the Commission on Audit (COA) from releasing findings on her controversial usage of P125-million confidential funds.

Now, she is using the same playbook on her impeding impeachment trial, according to Acidre.

“This pattern is alarming. First, she tried to block COA’s report. Now, she wants to stop Congress from doing its job. What exactly is she trying to hide?” Acidre asked.

​Meanwhile, San Juan City one district Rep. Ysabel Zamora, one of the 11 House prosecutors, says Duterte's camp is only employing delaying tactics-- something that defense lawyers are known for.

"In any case, you will always have the other party, one or both parties, filing dilatory tactics. I had the privilege of appearing in court in many instances, and you will always have parties doing that, delaying the case," Zamora said.

"Or if one doesn't have a case, then they will file such petitions for certiorari (review) to go all the way up to the Supreme Court if only to prolong the process," Zamora, who is also a lawyer, added.

The lady lawmaker still believed though that the SC justices "will see through" such ploys and ultimately rule in their favor, and as a result "push through with this political exercise".

Acidre says that impeachment is a constitutional mechanism meant to ensure accountability among high-ranking officials, and thus "No one is above the law."

Related Tags

Impeachment Sara Duterte jude acidre
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