VP Sara Duterte’s Legal Team Refuses Interviews, Issuance of Statements
Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team has filed a comment on the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives before the Supreme Court.
Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto could only wish for “God to have mercy” after the chamber archived the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Sotto initially tried to table the motion introduced by Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Rodante Marcoleta.
Marcoleta moved for the dismissal of the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Duterte. However, Senate Minority Leader Sotto moved to table his motion citing that Motions for Reconsideration were filed before the Supreme Court.
Prior to the opening of the 20th Congress, the high court declared the Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President as “unconstitutional”. According to the high court, it did not follow the one-year rule in the Constitution.
The Supreme Court also found that the Vice President was denied of her rights to due process. According to the high court, an impeachment complaint may only be filed against her starting February 6, 2026. Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s legal team welcomed the decision of the court but maintained that they remain ready to answer to the accusations against her.
Following the release of the Supreme Court ruling, just a week after the 20th Congress opened, the Senate discussed the fate of the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto’s attempt to table the motion of Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Rodante Marcoleta for the dismissal of the impeachment case by just having five (5) votes.
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Rodante Marcoleta agreed to change his motion to archive the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. During the voting, 19 senators voted in favor of the archiving of the impeachment case while four (4) senators went against the motion. Sen. Ping Lacson abstained from making a vote.
YES
- Alan Peter Cayetano
- Pia Cayetano
- Ronald Dela Rosa
- JV Ejercito
- Francis Escudero
- Jinggoy Estrada
- Sherwin Gatchalian
- Bong Go
- Lito Lapid
- Loren Legarda
- Rodante Marcoleta
- Imee Marcos
- Robinhood Padilla
- Erwin Tulfo
- Raffy Tulfo
- Joel Villanueva
- Camille Villar
- Mark Villar
- Juan Miguel Zubiri
NO
- Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV
- Risa Hontiveros
- Francis Pangilinan
- Vicente “Tito” Sotto III
Several batch of complainants filed a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court seeking for the reversal of its ruling. The House of Representatives also filed an MR and called on the Senate to exercise “prudence and patience”.
Recently, based on a report on GMA News, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s legal team confirmed that they have filed a formal comment on the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives before the Supreme Court. The confirmation was made by Atty. Michael Poa.
However, based on the report, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s legal team refused to speak on the issue for now nor release any statement.
“In deference to the sub judice rule and out of respect for the judicial process, we will not be granting media interviews or issuing further statements at this time,” Poa said.
Previously, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian claimed that it would take only a vote of senators to take the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte out from the Senate archives. Senators Ping Lacson and Tito Sotto already said they will move in case the SC changes its ruling.