Solon rates VP Duterte's defense panel B+, citing 'blood'

MANILA, Philippines — The defense team in the first week of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial got a B+ rating from House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V, who also said that “B stands for blood.” Ortega, in a press briefing on Thursday said it might be too early to give the defense panel a grade, after he was asked to assess how Duterte’s lawyers performed for the first three days. But if he were to give a grade, it would be B positive — with B standing for blood, and B positive also being a blood type. “Maybe it’s too early to say but maybe a B positive grade is good. It’s B as in blood. But B positive because the past three days is productive for both the prosecutors and the defense, and maybe it’s a little too early in the game,” Ortega said. “So, B-positive. Blood,” he added. Ortega, meanwhile, gave the prosecution team, which is composed of House members, an A+ rating — another blood type. According to the Deputy Speaker, he is giving this grade not because the public prosecutors are House members, but because the presentation of evidence and witness was not hampered. Ortega has been talking about blood since Wednesday, when he said in a separate press briefing that his takeaway from Duterte’s statements regarding the impeachment is that she seems to have a liking for matters related to blood — from bloodbaths to being bloodied. READ: Ortega’s takeaway on Duterte’s statements: She likes ‘blood’ The lawmaker was referring to Duterte’s short statement on Tuesday made before reporters covering her impeachment trial at the Senate, where she said that while she expects to be “bloodied,” she will be “unbowed.” READ: Duterte on impeachment ‘bloodbath’: ‘I will be bloodied but unbowed’ Duterte’s presence at the Senate on Tuesday prompted lawyer Lorna Kapunan, counsel for the prosecution, to ask if the Vice President will be present at her trial. However, Duterte went to the Senate on Tuesday only to meet with her lawyers. The first time that Duterte mentioned something about blood, in relation to the impeachment proceedings against her, was in a thanksgiving mass in Davao City last May 2025. According to Duterte, she is eager for a “bloodbath” once the impeachment trial for the first set of complaints starts at the Senate. However, trial did not happen back then as the Supreme Court declared the first impeachment attempt as unconstitutional, based on a petition filed by Duterte herself. READ: VP Duterte on impeach trial: ‘I want a bloodbath’ Several lawmakers and lawyers supportive of Duterte’s impeachment poked fun at the Vice President’s alleged contradicting statements, as she wanted a bloodbath but supposedly moved to avoid it. /gsg