President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Vice President Sara Duterte could better answer the impeachment allegations against her by appearing before the Senate impeachment court.
Speaking to reporters after his four-day official visit to Canada, Marcos said on Saturday that the proceedings would be clearer if the accused could personally respond to the charges.
He said direct answers from Duterte would help establish the facts, instead of having the matter coursed only through lawyers or other representatives.
Marcos clarified that he was speaking only from a personal standpoint and not giving a legal opinion on how Duterte should handle the case.
He said that if he were the one facing the accusations, he would likely insist on attending the trial even if his lawyers advised him otherwise.
The Senate impeachment court earlier summoned Duterte to appear at the opening of her trial on July 6, either personally or through counsel.
The summons was contained in a July 2 notice signed by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, who serves as the presiding officer of the impeachment court.
Duterte faces four articles of impeachment involving alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery of Department of Education officials, and grave threats against the President and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.