Where was VP Sara when the House panel advanced impeachment complaints?
Duterte was seen attending an event in Laguna, as members of the House found probable cause for impeachment
At A Glance
- At the time the House panel advanced the impeachment proceedings, Vice President Sara Duterte was in Laguna, attending and speaking at an OVP-led exhibit launch focused on the history and role of the vice presidency in the Philippines
- Duterte highlighted that vice presidents often serve in difficult times without recognition, emphasizing their role in providing stability when the country needs it most
- She described the vice presidency as "not power or prestige," butas a role for ordinary people to showg extraordinary love and service to the Philippines
Vice President Sara Duterte was in Laguna, attending an OVP pop-up exhibit launch, when the House panel found probable cause in the impeachment complaints against her. (Photo from Inday Sara Duterte Facebook page)
While the House Committee on Justice was determining whether probable cause existed in the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, April 29, she was seen attending a public event in Laguna.
Posts on her official Facebook page, Inday Sara Duterte, and the Facebook page of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) indicated that Duterte graced the launch of the OVP’s pop-up exhibit titled “Extra+Ordinary: The Vice Presidents of the Philippines” in San Pedro City.
The exhibit highlights nearly a century of vice presidential leadership in the country.
Exhibit highlights nearly a century of leadership
In her post, Duterte emphasized the importance of recognizing the country’s past vice presidents, describing them as leaders who served during difficult periods in Philippine history—often without public recognition.
“Hindi sila laging nakakakuha ng palakpak. Hindi sila laging naaalala. Ngunit sa panahong kinailangan ng bansa ang katatagan, nandoon ang ating mga Vice Presidents (They don’t always get the applause. They aren’t always remembered. But in times when the nation needed stability, our Vice Presidents were there),” Duterte said.
The exhibit aims to honor all 14 individuals who have held the office, showcasing their contributions and decisions, including those that were “unpopular but necessary,” according to the Vice President.
“This is the real story of the Vice Presidency. Not power. Not prestige. Ordinary people with extraordinary love for the Philippines,” she added.
Nationwide rollout planned
The OVP said the exhibit will be brought to 90 locations nationwide, expanding public access to the history of the vice presidency. It is currently open to visitors in Laguna until May 13.
“I invite you to step inside and go beyond the summaries and glossy photos. Discover the leaders who served without guarantee of recognition. Look for the decisions that were unpopular but necessary. Let us own the lessons of our history,” Duterte said.
“And remember: the highest offices in this land belong to anyone who is willing to serve,” she added.
Timeline overlap with impeachment development
The Vice President’s appearance in Laguna coincided with a key political development in Manila, where lawmakers moved forward with impeachment proceedings after finding probable cause.
The House panel’s decision marks a critical step in the impeachment process, following earlier determinations of sufficiency in form and substance.
In a statement issued earlier, the defense team said the House Committee on Justice’s finding of probable cause was “not unexpected,” given the direction the proceedings had taken.
The defense team maintained that the proceedings before the Committee “departed from the constitutional design,” arguing that instead of confining itself to the verified complaints and their attachments, the process “expanded into matters that properly belong to a full trial.”
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Duterte’s defense team, during a press conference on April 23, said that the Vice President has not been attending House hearings related to her impeachment case because the proceedings “lack constitutional jurisdiction” and are not the “proper venue” for trial.
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