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Advocates Philippines
VP Sara Urged To Show Up At Impeachment Trial-Or Risk Looking Like She's Hiding Something
Photo credit: Congress PH
House Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor isn’t mincing words—he says Vice President Sara Duterte needs to show up in person at her Senate impeachment trial. Otherwise, he warns, it could look like she’s trying to dodge accountability.
“Let’s be real—if you’re facing an impeachment and you don’t show up, people will start thinking you’ve got something to hide,” Defensor said during an interview on Bantay Balita sa Kongreso over Super Radyo dzBB.
VP Sara is facing seven articles of impeachment, including the alleged illegal use of over P612 million in confidential funds during her time as both Vice President and Education Secretary. She’s also accused of making threats against President Bongbong Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.
But Defensor says this isn’t about punishment—it’s about transparency and giving the VP a fair shot to clear her name. “This is her chance to defend herself. If her defense is solid and she can convince the 24 senators she’s innocent, then great. But she has to do it in person, before the Filipino people.”
Right now, Duterte is in The Hague to support her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who’s facing trial at the International Criminal Court. While Defensor gets the importance of that, he says it shouldn’t be an excuse to miss her own legal battle back home.
“Yes, it’s important for a daughter to support her father. But at the same time, she’s the one facing impeachment—she can’t afford to take that lightly,” he stressed.
Adding fuel to the fire are questions over the OVP and DepEd’s use of confidential funds. Some supposed fund recipients had suspicious or downright comical names like “Mary Grace Piattos,” “Jay Kamote,” and “Miggy Mango”—names the Philippine Statistics Authority couldn’t even verify as real people.
“If these questions were answered properly from the start, maybe it wouldn’t have come to this,” Defensor said. “But now, the public deserves clarity.”
While Senate President Chiz Escudero has said that Duterte’s physical presence at the trial isn’t mandatory, Defensor thinks otherwise. For him, showing up is a matter of respect—and leadership.
“This trial isn’t just about legalities. It’s about whether or not someone still deserves to hold a powerful public office.”
The Senate impeachment court officially convenes on June 3, with pre-trial sessions from June 24 to July 25, and the trial itself kicking off on July 30, just two days after President Marcos delivers his SONA.
Will VP Sara show up? That’s still up in the air—but according to her critics, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“Let’s be real—if you’re facing an impeachment and you don’t show up, people will start thinking you’ve got something to hide,” Defensor said during an interview on Bantay Balita sa Kongreso over Super Radyo dzBB.
VP Sara is facing seven articles of impeachment, including the alleged illegal use of over P612 million in confidential funds during her time as both Vice President and Education Secretary. She’s also accused of making threats against President Bongbong Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.
But Defensor says this isn’t about punishment—it’s about transparency and giving the VP a fair shot to clear her name. “This is her chance to defend herself. If her defense is solid and she can convince the 24 senators she’s innocent, then great. But she has to do it in person, before the Filipino people.”
Right now, Duterte is in The Hague to support her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who’s facing trial at the International Criminal Court. While Defensor gets the importance of that, he says it shouldn’t be an excuse to miss her own legal battle back home.
“Yes, it’s important for a daughter to support her father. But at the same time, she’s the one facing impeachment—she can’t afford to take that lightly,” he stressed.
Adding fuel to the fire are questions over the OVP and DepEd’s use of confidential funds. Some supposed fund recipients had suspicious or downright comical names like “Mary Grace Piattos,” “Jay Kamote,” and “Miggy Mango”—names the Philippine Statistics Authority couldn’t even verify as real people.
“If these questions were answered properly from the start, maybe it wouldn’t have come to this,” Defensor said. “But now, the public deserves clarity.”
While Senate President Chiz Escudero has said that Duterte’s physical presence at the trial isn’t mandatory, Defensor thinks otherwise. For him, showing up is a matter of respect—and leadership.
“This trial isn’t just about legalities. It’s about whether or not someone still deserves to hold a powerful public office.”
The Senate impeachment court officially convenes on June 3, with pre-trial sessions from June 24 to July 25, and the trial itself kicking off on July 30, just two days after President Marcos delivers his SONA.
Will VP Sara show up? That’s still up in the air—but according to her critics, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Apr 6, 2025
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