Vice President Sara Duterte celebrated her 48th birthday Sunday, May 31, but the House of Representatives sent her "gift" months in advance.

That's when the lower chamber began impeachment proceedings against the Vice President, which eventually prospered into her second impeachment by congressmen in as many years.

“Despite everything that’s happening, ang gift natin kay VP Sara ay ‘yung due process, ‘yung pag-iisa-isa ng mga hakbang sa proseso para kung anumang alegasyon laban sa kanya [ay] masagot po niya nang maayos,” Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co said in a radio interview on Sunday, May 31.

(The gift we give VP Sara is due process, the step‑by‑step proceedings so she can properly answer whatever allegations are raised against her.)

Co--one of the House prosecution panel's spokespersons in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial--added that Duterte should maximize the opportunity. She notes that many ordinary Filipinos facing legal proceedings are not afforded the same care for due process or a public platform to respond to allegations.

“So sana po hawakan niya at ma-enjoy ‘yung birthday wish ng due process...sagutin sana ang wish ng taumbayan sa kanyang kaarawan ang matagal nang hinahanap sa kanya ‘yung pagharap sa proseso ng pananagutan,” Co said.

(So hopefully she holds on to and appreciates this birthday wish of due process...hopefully she answers, the people’s wish on her birthday is for her to finally face the process of accountability.)

The spokesperson said that even amid political tensions surrounding the impeachment, the constitutional process provides Duterte a venue to respond to the accusations and present her side.

Duterte’s legal team have said the vice president will answer the allegations during the impeachment trial, which they maintain is the proper forum for her defense given their objections to the House proceedings.

Duterte was impeached anew by the House last May 11. This year's impeachment process was initiated on Feb. 23--five days after she announced her plan of running for the presidency.

Co noted that during the House proceedings, the vice president largely responded through procedural arguments rather than engaging the substance of the charges.

“Pinanghahawakan po natin ang sinasabi niya na magsusumite siya ng sagot. Hinihintay na rin po ng taumbayan ‘yung depensa niya na hindi lang po teknikalidad lang o procedural pero ‘yung straightforward answer to the allegations, to the articles of impeachment,” Co said.

(We rely on her statement that she will submit an answer. The people are also waiting for her defense, not just on technicalities or procedure, but a straightforward response to the allegations and the articles of impeachment.)

“So ito na po kasi yung huling pagkakataon ni VP Sara para ilatag ‘yung kanyang sagot, ‘yung depensa,” she added.

(This is already VP Sara’s last chance to lay out her answer, her defense.)

Co stressed that the impeachment proceedings will continue even without a direct response. However, she said that failure to present a substantive defense could weaken the vice president’s position before the Senate impeachment court, which already found probable cause to prosecute her based on available evidence and testimonies.

“Lahat po ito, kung hindi isagot, tuloy-tuloy ang paglilitis pa rin. At kung walang depensa ni VP, more likely than not, it will lead to a conviction dahil the House Committee on Justice found probable cause,” she said.

(If she does not respond, the trial continues. And without her defense, more likely than not, it will lead to conviction because the House Committee on Justice found probable cause.)

“Kung walang depensa, eh di paano siya ire-rebut? So ngayon po hinihintay na po ng taumbayan. Kasi taon-taon na rin po ang hinihintay ng lahat,” she added.

(If there is no defense, then how can it be rebutted? So now the people are waiting. Because everyone has been waiting for years as well.)

Meanwhile, in a not-so-veiled shot at the birthday celebrant, Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre says he believes that public officials who cannot be held answerable for their actions in office cannot be expected to deliver quality leadership during times of national crises.

“Accountability is basically very essential to the quality of governance that we have in the country. Kung hindi natin kayang panagutin ang mga nasa kapangyarihan, magiging mahirap na mapapanagot natin sila sa quality ng governance, sa paglilingkod, sa delivery ng social services,” Acidre said.

(If we cannot hold those in power accountable, it will be difficult to make them answer for the quality of governance, public service, and delivery of social services.)

Acidre said the impeachment proceedings against Duterte should be viewed within the broader context of accountability rather than as a distraction from the country’s other concerns.

“Hindi namin kailangan mamili. So parehong kailangan gawin, pareho kailangan bigyan ng attention, kailangan parehong bigyan ng effort kasi in the end ang taong bayan din naman ang kailangan natin kumbaga i-fulfill yung obligasyon natin sa kanila,” Acidre said.

(We do not need to choose. Both must be done, both must be given attention, both must be given effort because in the end it is the people to whom we must fulfill our obligation.)

The Visayas lawmaker made the remarks amid continuing criticism from some sectors that Congress has devoted too much attention to the impeachment case while the country faces economic and social challenges.