NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
House Spokesperson Questions VP Sara Camp's 'Ready' Claims
Photo credit: Cong Zia Adiong
House impeachment trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong on Friday cast doubt on repeated claims by Vice President Sara Duterte that she is prepared to face the impeachment case, saying her legal team has yet to directly answer the allegations laid out in the Articles of Impeachment.
The remarks came after the first day of the Senate impeachment court’s pre-trial conference, where Duterte’s defense team continued to challenge the impeachment process and the actions taken by the House of Representatives before the complaint reached the Senate.
Adiong said it would have been better if the defense had used the proceedings to address the accusations head-on instead of focusing largely on procedural issues.
He recalled that Duterte’s camp had previously skipped House Committee on Justice hearings, maintaining that they would respond in the proper forum. Despite their absence, he said, the House continued to observe due process and repeatedly invited them to participate.
According to Adiong, the committee proceedings served only to determine whether sufficient grounds existed to elevate the complaint for trial, similar to a preliminary investigation where evidence is examined before a case proceeds.
Now that the Senate has formally assumed jurisdiction and convened as an impeachment court, Adiong argued that the focus should shift to the allegations themselves rather than questions about how the complaint was initiated.
He noted that while the defense was represented during the pre-trial conference, the public was still left without clear answers regarding the accusations against the Vice President.
Adiong added that the defense’s request to dismiss the case outright, combined with what he described as the absence of substantive responses, could lead many Filipinos to wonder whether the camp is unwilling or unable to address the allegations.
He said the actions taken by Duterte’s legal team so far appear inconsistent with its public statements that it is fully prepared to confront the charges before the impeachment court.
The remarks came after the first day of the Senate impeachment court’s pre-trial conference, where Duterte’s defense team continued to challenge the impeachment process and the actions taken by the House of Representatives before the complaint reached the Senate.
Adiong said it would have been better if the defense had used the proceedings to address the accusations head-on instead of focusing largely on procedural issues.
He recalled that Duterte’s camp had previously skipped House Committee on Justice hearings, maintaining that they would respond in the proper forum. Despite their absence, he said, the House continued to observe due process and repeatedly invited them to participate.
According to Adiong, the committee proceedings served only to determine whether sufficient grounds existed to elevate the complaint for trial, similar to a preliminary investigation where evidence is examined before a case proceeds.
Now that the Senate has formally assumed jurisdiction and convened as an impeachment court, Adiong argued that the focus should shift to the allegations themselves rather than questions about how the complaint was initiated.
He noted that while the defense was represented during the pre-trial conference, the public was still left without clear answers regarding the accusations against the Vice President.
Adiong added that the defense’s request to dismiss the case outright, combined with what he described as the absence of substantive responses, could lead many Filipinos to wonder whether the camp is unwilling or unable to address the allegations.
He said the actions taken by Duterte’s legal team so far appear inconsistent with its public statements that it is fully prepared to confront the charges before the impeachment court.
Jun 19, 2026
We are dedicated storytellers with a passion for bringing your brand to life. Our services range from news and media features to brand promotion and collaborations.
Interested? Visit our
Contact Us page for more information. To learn more about what we offer, check out our latest article on services and opportunities.
