VP Sara team to monitor House plenary vote on impeachment — spox

Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team will monitor the House of Representatives plenary proceedings on her impeachment case on Monday, their spokesperson said Sunday.

“We will monitor the proceedings tomorrow,” lawyer Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte’s defense team, told GMA News on Sunday when asked if the Vice President or her lawyers would attend the House session.

The House is expected to take up the committee report approved by the House Committee on Justice, which found probable cause to impeach Duterte over allegations related to the alleged misuse of confidential funds and other accusations.

On May 4, the House committee unanimously approved the committee report with attached resolution setting forth the articles of impeachment and clearing the way for the House plenary vote.

The impeachment proceedings arose from several complaints filed against the Vice President this year, accusing her of betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and violations of the Constitution.

Last week, the House justice panel unanimously adopted the impeachment report following hearings that included testimonies from officials of the Commission on Audit, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, and the National Bureau of Investigation.

Duterte had previously denied the allegations, even as it refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the House proceedings, claiming these were politically motivated.

The vice president's camp has said it was prepared to respond to the allegations "in the proper forum."

Poa earlier said the defense team would not object if the House secured enough votes to transmit the impeachment complaint to the Senate for trial. —With a report from Jonathan Andal/MCG/KG, GMA News