VP Sara Duterte files answer to impeachment case

Vice President Sara Duterte, through her legal team, formally filed on Monday her answer to the Articles of Impeachment filed against her.

Led by lawyer Michael Poa, the legal team arrived at the Senate to file the physical documents, which were contained inside several pieces of luggage.

"We just wanted to officially state the Vice President, through counsel, has filed her answer...for the Senate sitting as an impeachment court," Poa told reporters.

In their pleadings, Duterte's legal team submitted that the Articles of Impeachment are "constitutionally infirm, procedurally defective, and substantively deficient". They also sought the dismissal of the impeachment case against the Vice President.

Duterte's team also denied the accusations and said the "mini-trial" of the House of Representatives "exceeded the constitutional limits of its authority."

"Ultimately, none of the allegations sufficiently establish the constitutional standards for culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, high crimes, or betrayal of public trust," the answer reads.

"Rather than presenting clear, credible, and legally sufficient proof of impeachable conduct, the Articles rely on erroneous conclusions, speculation, political rhetoric, and materials gathered through an unauthorized evidentiary fishing expedition conducted beyond the constitutional role of the House of Representatives," it added.

The Senate impeachment court gave Duterte until Monday, June 1 to answer the writ of summons issued against her in relation to her impeachment case. The prosecution, on the other hand, may file a reply within a non-extendible period of five calendar days from receipt of the answer.

Meanwhile, the Senate confirmed that it has received Duterte’s answers to the impeachment articles.

“Senate Secretary and concurrent Impeachment Court Clerk officially received the formal answer of Vice President Sara Duterte to the articles of impeachment filed against her Monday, June 1, 2026,” the Senate said in a statement. “The filing was officially received and logged at around 4:35 p.m.”

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Adiong, the House trial spokesperson, also acknowledged the receipt of the answer filed by Duterte.

"The 11-member House prosecution panel, together with its legal team, will undertake a review of the submission," he said in a statement.

"The public may be assured that the prosecution remains fully prepared and committed to its constitutional duty. Any reply or further legal response, if warranted, will be made after an evaluation of the submission," Adiong added.

On May 11, the House of Representatives, voting 257-25, impeached Duterte for the second time on allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes.—LDF, GMA News