Manila Rep. Joel Chua Speaks on Impeachment Issue of VP Sara Duterte
JOEL CHUA – The Manila 3rd District Representative said that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, once impeached, could be required to return the misused public funds.
Following the House of Representatives approving the impeachment of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, there were calls on the Senate to start the impeachment trial. However, according to Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero, they received the complaint in the afternoon on the last day of the session prior to the Senate break.
Amid the calls to start the impeachment trial, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero issued a proposed timeline for the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. The Senate President assured that his office, although they are on a session break, continues to review the existing impeachment rules and has drafted the amendments.
Recently, Davao Mayor Baste Duterte spoke on the impeachment issue against his sister, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. The Mayor is confident that the Vice President will get through the issue citing her strong legal team.
The legal team of Vice Pres. Duterte includes their father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and her father-in-law, Lucas Carpio Jr. Mayor Baste believes that the issue is allegedly a smokescreen of the Marcos administration to cover the issue surrounding the 2025 budget.
Mayor Baste Duterte said that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is “unbothered” by the impeachment case. He stressed that they will face and fight it.
Based on a report on Cebu Daily News, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua stressed that the evidence of the prosecution on the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is “solid”. The lawmaker is the chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability and one of the members of the House prosecution panel.
According to Rep. Joel Chua, the impeachment court’s power is limited to two penalties which can be the removal of Vice Pres. Duterte from office and her being barred from seeking government post again. Based on the report, he stressed that once impeached, criminal and administrative cases may be filed against the Vice President once she is impeached and she can be compelled to return the misused public funds.
“Once na-convict na po siya sa impeachment, pupuwede naman pong kasuhan sa Ombudsman ang ating Vice President,” Chua said.
Recently, amid the many issues against her, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has earned the reaction of Malacañang anew when she told the people of their right to show their anger to the government.