Vice Pres. Sara Duterte held a press conference at OVP Central Office, Mandaluyong City on Feb. 18, 2026. In the same briefing, she announced her presidential bid for 2028. Screen grabbed from Inday Sara Duterte livestream.
Vice President Sara Duterte did not attend the April 14 impeachment hearing at the House of Representatives committee on justice, her defense team said.
Lawyer Michael Poa, spokesperson for the defense panel, said he appeared before the panel in compliance with a subpoena issued by lawmakers.
He said the camp had earlier informed the committee that Duterte would not be present during the proceedings.
Poa noted that his attendance was required under the legal process, as the panel sought clarification on matters linked to confidential fund disbursements and coordination with state auditors.
The hearing marked the stage where lawmakers began examining documents and testimonies related to the complaints filed against the Vice President.
Allegations raised against Duterte included issues surrounding the use of confidential funds and other claims that have been the subject of previous congressional inquiries.
The committee had earlier approved subpoenas covering several officials and records, including documents from the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Securities and Exchange Commission, and other agencies.
Additional hearing dates were set on April 22 and April 29, with lawmakers saying more sessions may be scheduled if needed to complete the review of evidence.
