1Sambayan to Escudero: Make key preps for VP Duterte impeachment trial

1Sambayan convenor and retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio

MANILA, Philippines — Opposition coalition 1Sambayan on Monday urged Senate President Francis Escudero to make important preparations for the impeachment process of Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a letter sent to Escudero on Monday, 1Sambayan convenors retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio and Atty. Howard Calleja urged the Senate leadership to revise the impeachment rules to simplify and make the proceedings efficient.

“While the impeachment process itself requires careful attention to legal and procedural details, the importance of preparatory work required or an efficient trial cannot be overstated,” Carpio and Calleja said in their letter.

“The impeachment rules should authorize the Senate President to forthwith issue summons to the impeached official to respond to the Articles of Impeachment within 15 non-extendible calendar days and require the prosecution to submit a reply within 5 non-extendible calendar days,” the two also stated in the letter.

READ: Gadon dares VP Sara Duterte to resign, run for president

Carpio and Calleja said Escudero should then be authorized to order the preservation of records related to the impeachment case that are housed in government offices.

“Thus, the Senate President can direct the Armed Forces of the Philippines to preserve and safeguard the records of the investigation of the Vice President’s two military aides who ended up in possession of the P125 million confidential funds,” Carpio and Calleja said.

“These matters are vital to the fulfillment of the Senate’s ‘sole power to try and decide’ impeachment cases. Taking these steps now will ensure that the proceedings progress smoothly and without unnecessary delays,” they added.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte as 215 House members voted in favor of it, with the son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, being the first one to sign the complaint.

The Articles of Impeachment have then been transmitted to the Senate for trial. The votes of two-thirds of the 23 senators are needed to convict and oust Duterte.

If found guilty in a Senate impeachment trial, Duterte may be permanently barred from holding public office.

Despite this, Duterte previously said that she was not yet considering resigning from her post, even adding that she is also “seriously considering” running for the 2028 elections without specifying the position.

Once allies during the 2022 polls, the political families of Marcos and Duterte have been embroiled in a tussle marked by the Vice President’s resignation from the present administration’s Cabinet as education secretary in June last year.

The feud has since escalated, with Duterte revealing that she allegedly instructed someone to kill Marcos, his wife Liza, and cousin House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she would be killed.

This remark was used as one of the reasons behind Duterte’s impeachment.

Also used as the basis for impeachment are the P125 million worth of confidential funds.

In line with this, the convenors also wrote a letter to Department of National Defense (DND) chief Gilberto Teodoro requesting the public release of the results of the military’s investigation into the Vice President’s two military aides, who were found to have P125 million.

“This matter has raised significant public interest, and as concerned citizens, we respectfully seek clarity regarding the details of the investigation and its findings,” the group noted in their letter.

“The public’s right to understand the details of such an investigation is essential, especially in light of the significant public funds involved. Transparency in this matter is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the institutions involved, as well as ensuring accountability in the management of government resources,” they explained.

More particularly, 1Sambayan wants to know if the military aides turned over the P125 million to the Vice President through an official channel, as they also asked the DND how the funds were used and liquidated.

“Were the funds used to pay the individuals identified in the liquidation report of the Vice President’s office? If so, could you provide a breakdown or clarification of these transactions?” the group stated in the letter.