VP Sara Duterte to skip impeachment trial opening, cites legal right

Vice President Sara Duterte will not personally attend the formal opening of her impeachment trial on Monday, July 6, according to her legal counsel. Atty. Michael Poa, one of Duterte's lawyers, said the second-highest official opted to appear before the Senate impeachment court through her legal counsel. "I think naglabas na ng statement ang ating bise-presidente that she has chosen to appear by counsel today in accordance with the Impeachment Rules," Poa said at a media briefing. "Kaparatan naman niya po yun that her appearance be made through her counsel. Sa ngayon, masasabi natin na di na sya maga-attend today," he added. The Senate is set to convene at 2 p.m. to officially start the impeachment proceedings on Duterte's case. She stressed it is her right to be represented by her counsel, and the "decision to personally testify is a matter of legal strategy and constitutional rights." "Choosing to appear through counsel rather than testify personally does not diminish accountability or imply a lack of transparency. The integrity of an impeachment trial depends on adherence to the rule of law-not on whether the respondent personally takes the stand," Duterte added. Meanwhile, Vice President Duterte took a jab against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over his remarks saying if he were in Duterte’s position, he would personally choose to appear before the impeachment court and answer the allegations himself, even if his lawyers advised against it. "The opinion of a President in an impeachment proceeding is of no importance. Impeachment proceedings must be guided by the Constitution and due process," said Duterte. "At all times, public officials are best served by keeping their personal opinions to themselves and relying instead on the law, established policies, scientific evidence, and objective facts when addressing matters of public concern," she said. — RSJ, GMA News