Impeachment counsel: VP Sara 'duty bound' to attend House hearings

The lawyer in the withdrawn impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte believes she will not attend the House hearings despite being "duty bound to answer the allegations."

“Duty bound siya [VP Duterte]. Constitutional process ‘to… accountability ito, kailangan mag-explain siya,"  Atty. Dino de Leon said at the Saturday Media Forum.

(She [VP Duterte] is duty bound. This is a constitutional process… this is about accountability. She needs to explain.)

“Iyung Constitution po ang sinasabi this is a sacred process at kailangang galangin ni [VP] Sara Duterte ang mga institusyon, including the House of Representatives, including eventually the Senate. At kailangan niyang sagutin sa Saligang Batas at sabi sa Saligang Batas, accountability ito, kailangan mag-explain siya,” De Leon added. 

(The Constitution says this is a sacred process and [VP] Sara Duterte needs to respect the institutions, including the House of Representatives, including eventually the Senate. And she needs to answer to the Constitution and the Constitution says, this is about accountability, she needs to explain.)

However, De Leon doubts Duterte will appear in the proceedings.

"Pupusta ako dyan, hindi ‘yan darating. Pero kung darating siya, hindi niya sasagutin ang mga tanong. Bagkos, ililihis na naman [ang usapan] at magagalit at sasabihin politika lamang ito,” he added.

(I'll bet on that, she won't come. But if she does come, she won't answer the questions. Instead, she'll divert [the conversation] again and get angry and say it's just politics.)

“Accountability is never a waste of time especially we’re talking about the second highest official of the land… Ang pinaka-importante [ay] accountability, (The most important thing is accountability.)” he added.

GMA News Online has reached out to Duterte’s camp for a comment, but it has yet to reply as of posting time. 

De Leon's statement comes a day after the House committee on justice invited the Vice President to attend the hearing on the impeachment complaints on March 25. Additional hearing dates were set for April 14, 22, and 19.

According to Duterte's lawyer, Atty. Michael Poa, the Vice President had received the invitation from the House panel. Poa also said on Friday that he had yet to discuss with the Vice President if she would attend the hearing.

De Leon, meanwhile, believes that the Vice President’s previous responses to her allegations lacked substance.

“After being given the chance to answer the allegations against her, what we’ve had is a non-answer… Bumalik na naman sa teknikalidad. Ang pinakaimportante dyan accountability, hindi kung ano-anong teknikalidad,” he said.

(After being given the chance to answer the allegations against her, what we’ve had is a non-answer… We again return to technicalities. What is most important there is accountability, not whatever technicalities.)

Duterte is currently facing two impeachment complaints that were recently found sufficient in grounds by the House justice committee.

The complaints filed against her alleged betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, among others, over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential fund and threat to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Group eyes 'people's court' 

In a related development, the civic organization Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya (MKE) announced that, should Duterte be put on trial for impeachment in the Senate, it intends to establish a parallel "people's court."

“Binabalak, pinag-uusapan na namin sa KME, kasama sila, ‘yung ilang obispo at mga kaparian ng ilang kongregasyon na magtayo ng parang people’s counterpart—people's court na habang nagsasagawa ng pagdinig doon sa loob ng Senado,” KME chairman Jaime Regalario said during the media forum.

(We are planning and are already discussing it in KME, together with some bishops and priests of some congregations, to establish a people's counterpart—a people's court, while hearings are conducted inside the Senate.)

Regalario said their group is open to holding the proceedings outside the Senate gates but would prefer to be permitted inside the compound.

“Maski na sa outside the gate, if they will allow us doon sa loob ng gate, the better. Kakausapin ko si Senate President Tito Sotto kung pwede kaming doon na lang sa may mga puno na hindi mainit,” Regalario said.

“Even if we have to hold the proceedings outside the gate, it would be better if we were allowed inside the compound. I will ask Senate President Tito Sotto if we can do it, especially in the area with trees where it is cooler,” Regalario said.

He added that they plan to mirror the Senate proceedings by obtaining and presenting the same pieces of evidence.

“At kung ano ‘yung mga ebidensyang dadalhin doon sa Senado kukuha kami ng kopya… ipi-present ‘din namin doon sa People’s Court o hukumang bayan at sabay ito na gagawin habang nagdidinig sila doon sa Senado,” Regalario said.

(And whatever evidence is brought to the Senate, we will get a copy... we will also present it to the People's Court and do this at the same time as the hearing in the Senate.)

He said the group is also eyeing former members of the judiciary, including retired SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno, to take part in the proceedings. 

The Vice President's camp was not immediately available for comment. —VAL/VBL, GMA Integrated News