VP Sara ready for impeachment trial: ‘I want a bloodbath’

Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday said she is looking forward to her impeachment trial in the Senate in the upcoming 20th Congress.

Duterte told reporters in Davao City that although her legal team wished for the trial to not go forward, they were "full throttle" in their preparations.

“Marami silang paraan sa batas as a legal recourse for their clients. Sinabihan ko na rin talaga sila, really, I truly want a trial because I want a bloodbath talaga,” Duterte said in a report by Rgil Relator of GMA Regional TV on 24 Oras Weekend.

(They have options as a legal recourse for their clients. I told them, really, I truly want a trial because I really want a bloodbath.)

However, Duterte cautioned against speculating about the outcome of the trial, which will only begin on July 30.

“They haven't seen evidence yet, they haven't seen what the prosecutors have, and they haven't seen what our defense is. Mali siguro na magbilangan ng boto na walang trial,'' she said.

(It seems wrong to count votes without a trial.)

“Whether guilty man ‘yon or acquittal (whether it is guilty or acquittal), I'm already at peace,” she added.

The impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives includes issues surrounding the use of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City, and her “assassination” remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez.

In the interview, Duterte refuted accusations that she had repeatedly declined to answer questions about the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds. She maintained that she attended the House of Representatives hearings and was prepared to participate, but no questions were addressed to her.

“So hindi sa ayaw ko sumagot, wala silang tanong during the hearing,” she said.

(So it's not that I don't want to answer; they didn't ask any questions during the hearing.)

“Nag-decide na lang sila, okay, impeach na lang natin siya without any evidence at all of wrongdoing.”

(They just decided, okay, let's just impeach her without any evidence at all of wrongdoing.)

Duterte also said she was not surprised by the possible inclusion of incoming party-list representatives Chel Diokno and Leila De Lima on the prosecution team.

“They've been very vocal anti-Duterte since birth. In fact, wala pa sa mapa si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte to become president ay anti-Duterte na talaga si Secretary De Lima,” said Duterte.

(They've been very vocal anti-Duterte since birth. Secretary De Lima was already anti-Duterte even if, in fact, former President Rodrigo Duterte was not yet on the map to become president.)

The Vice President also alleged that her accusers were acting out of desperation, motivated by personal gain rather than public interest.

“These individuals are desperate. Desperate for, as I said, cash, cocaine, and champagne,” she said.

'Braggadocio'

In a statement, De Lima said "braggadocio, mindless arrogance, toxic rhetoric, violence" were what the Duterte camp is good at.

"VP Sara is always welcome to witness how her trial will be a serious affair where her rights are respected and the proceedings fair, devoid of the drama and chaos that she is asking her defense team to orchestrate," she said.

"To stress, an impeachment trial is not a show of brute force but a sacrosanct constitutional process of accountability. No room for chaos, drama, and theatrics that Sara asked her defense team to orchestrate. Contempt ang naghihintay sa kanila [will be waiting for them] if they even dare to."

'Glorified disqualification case'

The Vice President described the attempt to unseat her as a "glorified disqualification case," as any impeached official found guilty and convicted of charges will be removed from public office.

Duterte said her supporters gave her until December 2026 to decide whether she will run for president in 2028 or find another candidate to support.

“I have more than a year to really sit down and list down the pros and cons, as I did in 2021, with regard to running for president,” she said. — Jamil Santos and Sherylin Untalan/VBL/BM/KG, GMA Integrated News