Vice President Sara Duterte has yet to decide whether she will attend the March 25 hearing of the House Committee on Justice on the impeachment complaints filed against her, her legal team said.
Lawyer Michael Poa said Duterte’s attendance remains uncertain, adding that he does not see any advantage in her appearing before the panel.
He also pointed out that existing rules do not require her personal presence and that the decision will depend on legal advice.
Amid this, lawyer Dino de Leon of Tindig Pilipinas urged the vice president to attend, stressing that the impeachment process is a constitutional duty that demands accountability.
“’Yung Constitution po sinasabi this is a sacred process, at kailangan galangin ni Sara Duterte ang mga institusyon including the House of Representatives, including eventually the Senate … accountability ito, kailangan, mag-explain siya,” de Leon said.
The House panel has yet to determine whether the complaints will be elevated to the plenary for a vote on whether to impeach Duterte.
De Leon said he expects the vice president may skip the hearing or avoid directly addressing the allegations if she does attend.
“Bagkus ililihis na naman at magagalit at sasabihin pulitika lamang ito,” he said.
He also criticized Duterte’s Consolidated Verified Answer Ad Cautelam, describing it as a “non-answer” that reflects a lack of accountability.
Poa, however, rejected the claim, saying such criticism disregards the key points raised in their response.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Regalario of the Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya said their group plans to organize a parallel “People’s Court” if the impeachment case reaches the Senate.
“Habang nagsasagawa ng pagdinig doon sa loob ng Senado, magtatayo kami ng People’s Court doon maski na outside the gate eh if they will allow us, doon sa loob ng gate, the better,” Regalario said.
He said the initiative aims to allow the public to closely monitor the proceedings and push for accountability among public officials.
