Sara Duterte questions lawmakers' 'certainty' on her impeachment

Vice President Sara Duterte has raised concerns over statements made by some lawmakers who expressed certainty that she will be impeached.

“Kung ordinary individuals lang naman 'yan, like ordinary Filipinos, pabayaan na natin yan. Kasi 'yan naman 'yung opinion nila, 'yan naman 'yung damdamin nila, hindi mo naman mababago ang nararamdaman ng isang tao,” Duterte said in an interview in The Hague, Netherlands on Monday.

(If it's just ordinary individuals, like ordinary Filipinos, let's leave it alone. Because that's their opinion, that's their feelings, you can't change someone's feelings.)

“But it is different siguro kapag congressman na 'yung nagsasabi or senator na 'yung nagsasabi kasi magtatanong ka, bakit sobrang sigurado ka na tapos na ito?” she added.

(But it's probably different when it's a congressman who's saying it or a senator who's saying it because you're going to ask, why are you so sure that it's over?”

She made the statement when asked about social media posts expressing certainty that the impeachment process against her would proceed to the Senate.

However, Duterte declined to comment on the statement of House justice committee member Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Terry Ridon that the 106 votes needed to impeach Duterte “will not be difficult to surmount.”

“Well, hindi ako maka-comment sa kanyang mga nalalaman kasi hindi ko alam kung ano 'yung alam niya,” she said.

(Well, I can't comment on what he knows because I don't know what he knows.)

On Monday, the House committee on justice unanimously approved the committee report with attached resolution setting forth the articles of impeachment against Duterte, clearing the way for the House plenary vote.

The impeachment complaints filed against the Vice President accuse her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, among others, mainly over the following acts:

• alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds 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;
• alleged accumulation of unexplained wealth.

Duterte has denied these allegations. —AOL, GMA News