Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, August 26, challenged prosecutors and members of Congress pursuing the impeachment complaints against her to prove an impeachable offense with evidence, arguing that insults, speculation, and political theatrics have no place in the proceedings.

In a statement issued by the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Duterte said those seeking to legitimize the two impeachment complaints should be confident in the strength of their cases rather than searching for evidence during the trial.

“Prove the impeachable offense. Prove it with evidence—not insults, speculation, or political theatrics,” Duterte said.

The Vice President claimed that the impeachment complaints were filed without sufficient evidence and accused her opponents of attempting to build a case by turning allegations into what she described as a “wild story” of alleged wrongdoing.

“A strong case does not need the adornment of theatrics,” Duterte said, taking issue with remarks made during the proceedings that she said included a senator calling a witness “stupid,” a lawyer describing her as the “mastermind of a scam,” and another witness referring to her as a “brat.”

According to Duterte, personal attacks and inflammatory language do not establish wrongdoing or substitute for evidence in an impeachment trial.

“Insults reveal the need to feign confidence in the face of a weak presentation,” she said.

Duterte also used her statement to criticize the administration and its allies in Congress, claiming that the government's priorities were misplaced amid widespread flooding and poverty.

“Mga kababayan, lubog na ang bansa sa baha at kahirapan, pero tila walang mananagot (My fellow Filipinos, the country is already drowning in floods and poverty, yet it seems no one will be held accountable),” she said, accusing the administration and its allies of prioritizing the impeachment proceedings, the proposed 2027 national budget, and efforts she alleged were aimed at changing the Constitution to remain in power.

The Vice President's latest statement comes as her camp continues to push for the impeachment case to be resolved based on the evidence and legal arguments presented before the impeachment court, amid concerns raised by her defense team over language that could influence public perception before a final verdict is reached.

The impeachment proceedings will ultimately require prosecutors to establish the allegations against Duterte and prove that the acts cited in the complaints constitute impeachable offenses under the Constitution.