The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte began yesterday, after being delayed by legal challenges filed in the court and the squabble over the Senate leadership.
After months of refusing to acknowledge the impeachment hearings conducted by the House of Representatives, Duterte finally answered the impeachment allegations against her ahead of the Senate trial.
She insisted that the articles of impeachment submitted by the House “suffer from fatal constitutional, procedural, and substantive defects” and hence, should be dismissed. She added that the evidence against her contains “erroneous conclusions, speculation, political rhetoric and materials gathered through an unauthorized evidentiary fishing expedition.” She also criticized the House impeachment proceedings for being “tainted by pre-judgment.”
Duterte is accused of betraying public trust by misusing her confidential funds, non-declaration of assets, and plotting to assassinate the First Family.
Concerning the charge that she planned to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Duterte claimed that she “merely exercised constitutionally protected speech in opposition to the policies, conduct, actuations, and overreach of the current administration.”
