Amid the Impeachment Proceedings, House Member Speaks on Attendance of VP Sara Duterte to Hearings
HOUSE MEMBER – Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon expressed his hope that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will attend the next impeachment hearing.
The camp of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte stressed that they are ready to prove that the Vice President is not corrupt. The statement of Atty. Michael Poa came amid the impeachment proceedings conducted by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Justice.
Duterte is faced with two (2) impeachment raps filed before the Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives. They were found sufficient in form, substance, and grounds by the Justice panel.
One impeachment rap against Duterte was set aside by the House Justice panel for violating the one-year ban rule. Another impeachment complaint was withdrawn by the complainants.
Tindig Pilipinas withdrew their impeachment complaint against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and decided to support the third impeachment rap against the Vice President. The complainants said they did so to prevent procedural delays. Here are the grounds raised in the third impeachment rap filed against Duterte:
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount over PHP 500 million confidential funds (CF) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount of not less than PHP 112.5 million of confidential funds allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the year 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by corrupting and bribing officials of the DepEd
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in contracting to murder or assassinate the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties and interests in properties in her SALN
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in committing acts of  political destabilization and the high crimes of sedition and insurrection
The House Justice Committee proceeded with the impeachment hearings. However, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte skipped the impeachment hearings. According to her camp, they believe that the proper forum is the Senate.
Recently, a House member, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon expressed his hope that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will attend the next impeachment hearing. Based on News5, it is set on Wednesday, April 29.
“Meron pa po siyang huling pagkakataon para makapaglatag po ng lahat ng kanilang ebidensya sa kanya pong depensa sa araw po ng Miyerkules,” the House member said.
Based on the post, the House member added that if Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will skip the next impeachment hearing, they probably would see each other in the Senate. Once the official is impeached by the lower chamber, the transmission of the impeachment to the Senate for the trial is expected to transpire next.
Previously, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto claimed that he has already met with some majority senators over the possible impeachment of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.