De Lima: VP Sara’s defense has no bearing unless made under oath

Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense against allegations has no bearing on the ongoing impeachment proceedings unless she makes these under oath, House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list said.

De Lima was reacting to the Vice President’s statement on Thursday that she acquired her assets legally and has never faced criminal charges in all her years of public service.

“Yung mga sinasabi ni VP Sara, mananatiling mga kwento lang yan na walang kwenta o di katanggap-tanggap sa impeachment proceedings kung hindi nya panunumpaan,” de Lima, a former Justice Secretary, said.

(What VP Sara is saying will remain just stories that are worthless or unacceptable in impeachment proceedings if she is not sworn in.)

During the House Committee on Justice hearing, the AMLC reported that there were covered and suspicious transactions in the bank accounts of Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, in the years that she reported no cash in hand or in banks in her SALNs.

“Sa impeachment proceeding siya maglahad ng depensa at maghain ng ebidensya, kung meron sya. Hindi ganyang dinadaan lang tayo sa presscon at public statements na, hindi na nga sumasagot sa mga rebelasyon at tumutugon sa mga official findings,” de Lima said.

(In the impeachment proceeding, she will present her defense and present evidence, if she has any. It's not like she's just taking us through press conferences and public statements, not responding to revelations and responding to official findings.)

“Instead of revealing any legitimate source of the unexplained billions in flagged financial transactions, she comes out guns blazing on unnamed “maleta” legislators. No explanation as to the unexplained billions except a flat-out denial and what-aboutism,” de Lima added.

The allegations against Duterte are not simple, the legislator said.

“Ang dumi sa bakuran ay hindi malilinis sa pagturo ng kalat sa bakuran ng iba. Hindi na simpleng alegasyon ang binato kay VP Sara. Materyal na ebidensiya na ang inilabas kahapon ng AMLC na hindi na puwedeng sagutin lang nang pabalang o mag-maang-maangan na parang walang nangyari,” de Lima added.

(The dirt in the yard cannot be cleaned by pointing out the mess in someone else's yard. The allegations leveled against VP Sara are no longer simple allegations. The AMLC released material evidence yesterday that can no longer be answered in simple terms or to pretend as if nothing had happened.) — BAP, GMA News