Senate Pres. Tito Sotto Speaks on Possible Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial amid Complaints
Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial “needs to be done as soon as possible” according to Senate Pres. Tito Sotto.
Recently, it was confirmed that the impeachment complaints against Vice Pres. Duterte have already been transmitted to the office of House Speaker Bojie Dy. Two (2) impeachment raps were filed against the Vice President before the Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives last February 2.
The first impeachment complaint against Vice Pres. Duterte was filed by the Makabayan bloc. The Vice President is accused of alleged betrayal of public trust and gross abuse of discretionary powers regarding the supposed misuse of the P625 million confidential funds of her office, the Office of the Vice President (OVP), and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Duterte was the secretary of education since 2022 to 2024. Her resignation from DepEd initiated the speculations that she and Pres. Bongbong Marcos, her running mate in the 2022 Elections, possible have some issues.
Shortly after the Makabayan bloc filed an impeachment complaint against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, Tindig Pilipinas filed the second impeachment rap against the Vice President. In the said complaint, she’s accused of alleged culpable violations of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
Now that the two (2) impeachment raps against Duterte have already been transmitted to the Office of the House Speaker, speaker Bojie Dy has 10 days to include it to the Order of Business. Recently, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto spoke on the possibility that the impeachment rap against the Vice President will reach the Senate.
Senate Pres. Tito Sotto revealed that he is already seeking legal guidance from his justices friends over the possible impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. According to the Senate Chief, the other senators are doing the same.
Senate Pres. Tito Sotto also suggests that the impeachment court will convene from 3:00 p.m. onwards, Monday to Friday to fast-track Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. Based on a post of Inquirer, the impeachment complaints against the Vice President may be acted upon in the House plenary as early as next week or be directly sent to the Senate.
“It should not be delayed, it needs to be done as soon as possible, the fastest way possible,” the Senate President said in Filipino.
Furthermore, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto also claimed that it is unfair both to the public and to the person being accused if Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial will be delayed. Previously, Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was asked about the impeachment complaints against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.