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Advocates Philippines
House Prosecutors Ready To Challenge Sara Duterte's Defense
Photo credit: House of Representatives of the Philippines
House prosecutors on Monday said they are prepared to answer Vice President Sara Duterte's constitutional defenses during her impeachment trial, stressing that the issues should be resolved before the Senate impeachment court rather than through public statements.
During a press briefing, Akbayan Party-list Rep. and House prosecutor Jose Manuel Diokno said the prosecution panel would not comment on the merits of Duterte's legal arguments but maintained that the right to free speech has legal limitations.
“We do not want to respond to the merits or defenses being raised by the Vice President,” Diokno said in a press briefing.
He added, “Freedom of speech is not absolute. There are limits to freedom of speech.”
Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima echoed the same position, saying the prosecution would reserve its arguments for the impeachment court instead of debating the Vice President's defense in public.
“I’m afraid that we cannot really dwell on that as extensively as we would, because that’s already touching on the merits as part of the defense of the Vice President,” De Lima said.
She acknowledged that the prosecution disagrees with Duterte's position but said the proper venue to present its arguments is during the trial.
“We, of course, espouse the contrary view, but we’d rather that we articulate on this in due time before the impeachment court,” De Lima said.
Diokno likewise emphasized that the prosecution is ready to respond once the proceedings formally begin.
“We will leave it to the impeachment court to resolve the arguments made by the Vice President. We are very, very ready to respond in the proper forum,” he said.
Duterte invoked freedom of expression in her response to Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses her of contracting an assassin, making grave threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, as well as inciting to sedition.
Aside from those allegations, the Vice President also faces accusations involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds, bribery involving Department of Education personnel, and unexplained wealth.
The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to begin trial on July 6.
During a press briefing, Akbayan Party-list Rep. and House prosecutor Jose Manuel Diokno said the prosecution panel would not comment on the merits of Duterte's legal arguments but maintained that the right to free speech has legal limitations.
“We do not want to respond to the merits or defenses being raised by the Vice President,” Diokno said in a press briefing.
He added, “Freedom of speech is not absolute. There are limits to freedom of speech.”
Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima echoed the same position, saying the prosecution would reserve its arguments for the impeachment court instead of debating the Vice President's defense in public.
“I’m afraid that we cannot really dwell on that as extensively as we would, because that’s already touching on the merits as part of the defense of the Vice President,” De Lima said.
She acknowledged that the prosecution disagrees with Duterte's position but said the proper venue to present its arguments is during the trial.
“We, of course, espouse the contrary view, but we’d rather that we articulate on this in due time before the impeachment court,” De Lima said.
Diokno likewise emphasized that the prosecution is ready to respond once the proceedings formally begin.
“We will leave it to the impeachment court to resolve the arguments made by the Vice President. We are very, very ready to respond in the proper forum,” he said.
Duterte invoked freedom of expression in her response to Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses her of contracting an assassin, making grave threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, as well as inciting to sedition.
Aside from those allegations, the Vice President also faces accusations involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds, bribery involving Department of Education personnel, and unexplained wealth.
The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to begin trial on July 6.
Jun 30, 2026
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