Impeachment Trial of VP Sara Duterte Continues
SARA DUTERTE – National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc asserted that the “threats” of the Vice President against President Bongbong Marcos is not covered by the Freedom of Speech.
The impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Duterte which her brother, Davao Mayor Baste Duterte, said is three years in the making continues. It started last July 6 and the Senate impeachment court is led by Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Twelve senators from the majority bloc including Senate Pres. Sherwin Gatchalian backed Escudero to be the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court. Eight (8) senators from the minority bloc opposed it with their stand that it should be Gatchalian who must preside the impeachment court.
Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano stressed that it is allegedly against the law. For Senate Pres. Sherwin Gatchalian, it is better to have someone who will be focused on the impeachment trial fully while he maintains his focus in the Senate as a whole.
Several grounds were raised against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte in the impeachment complaints filed against her. Some of them are the following:
- 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 previous remarks of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte against Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez also hooked attention. Previously, the Vice President claimed that she allegedly hired someone to eradicate the three (3) in case a supposed plot against her succeeds.
While the Defense claim the remarks of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte as a part of her Freedom of Speech, based on News5, NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc stressed that it is supposedly not part of the right to express.
According to the NBI Director, the remarks of the Vice President must allegedly be considered as a ‘criminal offense’. Based on the post, he raised a question on its effects in the society if the remarks would be considered as part of the Freedom of Speech.
“Imagine the anarchy, the disorder, and the chaos it would bring to our country,” Lotoc said.
Previously, former presidential spokesman, Harry Roque, defended the statement of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte saying an NBI agent cannot allegedly authenticate the threat video.