Vice President Sara Duterte delivers a speech during the Partners’ Appreciation and Recognition ceremony at the GSIS Theater in Pasay City on Tuesday (Feb. 20, 2024). (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)
Vice President Sara Duterte went to the Senate on Tuesday, but her camp clarified that she was not there to attend the second day of her impeachment trial.
Lawyer Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte’s defense counsel, said the vice president went to the Senate only to meet with her defense team.
Poa said Duterte would not take part in Tuesday’s impeachment proceedings.
The visit came a day after Duterte skipped the opening of her trial on Monday and appeared before the impeachment court through her lawyers.
Duterte is the first Philippine official to be impeached twice.
She is facing four articles of impeachment before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.
The allegations involve supposed misuse of Php 612.5 million in confidential funds, unexplained wealth, procurement irregularities and bribery involving the Department of Education, and alleged threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The impeachment trial is expected to run for 92 trial days and may extend until early 2027. A conviction requires the vote of at least two-thirds of all senator-judges and could lead to Duterte’s removal from office and possible perpetual disqualification from holding public office.