VP Sara Duterte invited to attend March 25 impeachment hearing - House panel

The House committee on justice has invited Vice President Sara Duterte to attend the hearing on the impeachment complaints lodged against her set on March 25.

House justice panel chair and Batangas Second District Rep. Gerville Luistro extended the invitation in a March 19 letter to the Vice President in reference to the two impeachment complaints accusing the latter of committing betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, among others, over the following: 

• alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential fund and using them as bribes, 
• threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and his family, including her desire to remove the head of the Chief Executive, and 
• alleged accumulation of unexplained wealth.

“We respectfully invite you to personally attend the said meeting in your capacity as the respondent in the impeachment complaints filed by Reverend Father Joel Saballa, et. al. and Atty. Nathaniel G. Cabrera,” Luistro said.

The lawmaker also provided contact persons, numbers and other contact details to the Vice President should the latter decides to confirm her attendance, among other queries and concerns.

“Thank you and we look forward to your participation in the meeting,” Luistro added.

Super Radyo dzBB's Mark Makalalad reported that according to Duterte's lawyer, the Vice President has received the invitation from the House panel. 

Atty. Michael Poa said he has yet to discuss with the Vice President if she will attend the hearing.

"I confirm that the Vice President has received the invitation from the House Committee on Justice. Regarding her attendance, I have not yet conferred with the Vice President on this matter," Poa said.

"That said, there is no requirement under the applicable rules for her personal attendance. Any decision in that regard will be made in accordance with her rights and upon the advice of counsel," he added. 

In an interview with Unang Balita, Luistro said the decision to appear before the impeachment hearings relies on the Vice President alone, meaning the panel cannot force her to show up.

“It is her option [to come]. If she shows up or otherwise, that is her prerogative. That is her choice,” Luistro said.

The House justice panel earlier found the two impeachment complaints against the Vice President sufficient in form, substance, and grounds.

The next step is the presentation of witnesses and evidence both on the part of the complainants and the respondent, in this case the Vice President.

The House justice panel has scheduled the impeachment hearings on March 25, April 14, April 22, and April 29.

“This is akin to a preliminary investigation in a criminal case,” Luistro said.

But for March 25, Luistro said that the House committee on justice will first resolve the following matters:

• Request for the issuance of subpoena duces tecum from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Commission on Audit, bank records, tax returns, the findings of the of the House good government and public accountability panel on its 2024 inquiry on the budget use of the Vice President’s office and during her tenure as concurrent Education Secretary
• Request to put Ramil Madriaga, who has confessed as the bagman of the Vice President, under protective custody of the House justice panel
• Opposition to the enlistment of lawyers Michael Poa and Reynold Munsayac as defense counsel of the Vice President since they were implicated during the House good government and public accountability panel inquiry on her office’s budget use

Luistro then cited that compared with the House good government and public accountability panel on its 2024 inquiry, the impeachment hearing will be more exhaustive because the House justice panel has the authority to subpoena and examine the bank records of the respondent in the impeachment case, in this case the Vice President.

This is because the Bank Secrecy law does not cover impeachment proceedings.

“Exceptions to Bank Secrecy law include the impeachment proceedings and a court order. That is why in previous discussions before the Justice committee, we have said that we cannot expect complainants to have copy of the bank records [to support their claim],” Luistro said.

After these hearings, the House justice panel will determine if there is probable cause to impeach the Vice President.

If the House justice panel finds probable cause, its committee report will be subjected to a House plenary vote, meaning all House members would have to vote if the Vice President must be impeached.

At least one-third of the House members need to vote in favor of the impeachment of the Vice President for the case to be forwarded to the Senate for trial.—AOL, GMA Integrated News