At A Glance
- The House prosecution panel gives Vice President Sara Duterte a brief send-off, wishing her safe travels during her July 16–31 trip to Qatar, the UK, and the Netherlands.
- The OVP clarifies her itinerary includes official and personal activities, with no government funds used, while her Senate impeachment trial continues in her absence.
- Prosecutors are wrapping up evidence presentation on death threats allegations, part of the impeachment case over alleged misuse of confidential funds, false asset declarations, unexplained wealth, and threats against top officials.
Vice President Sara Duterte (Facebook, Unsplash)
The House prosecution panel gave a short and sweet message to impeachment trial respondent Vice President Sara Duterte in connection with her overseas trip announcement.
Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, the prosecution’s "layman" spokesperson, simply said: "Safe travels and happy trip, and hope she’ll be back soon."
On Tuesday afternoon, July 21, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) bared that Duterte would be out of the country from July 16 to 31 for a trip covering Qatar, the United Kingdom (UK) and the Netherlands.
The OVP made the announcement on the eighth day of Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial--a trial that she has not personally attended--at least not yet.
According to the OVP, the itinerary includes official engagements with overseas Filipinos as well as personal activities. It also said no government funds would be spent on the multi-country trip.
Malacañang approved Duterte’s request for travel authority.
Vice President Duterte is currently at The Hague in the Netherlands, where her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is being held while awaiting trial nimself before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The elder Duterte is facing a charge of crimes against humanity in connection with his administration's bloody war on drugs.
The Vice President's conviction via impeachment trial is being sought over her offices' alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds; untruthful declarations in the filing of her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth; unexplained wealth; and death threats to President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.
The 26-member House prosecution team is about to wrap up the presentation of evidence on the death threats allegation against the respondent.