Palace tells VP Sara Duterte: Answer allegations before impeachment court

Malacañang on Monday said Vice President Sara Duterte should address the allegations against her before the Senate impeachment court instead of making statements outside the proceedings.

The Senate convened as an impeachment court shortly after 2 p.m., with 21 senators present in the session hall. Duterte did not attend the formal opening, according to her defense team.

"VP Sara should practice what she preaches now. Sa impeachment court na lang magpaliwanag at magpahayag si VP Sara ng kanyang mga salaysay," Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a statement.

(VP Sara should practice what she preaches now. Let VP Sara explain and present her statements before the impeachment court.)

"Anumang statement niya laban sa Pangulo at sa mga sinasabi ng Pangulo kung labas ito sa korte ay hindi makakatulong na linisin ang pangalan niya," she added.

(Any statement she makes against the President or in response to the President's statements, if made outside the court, will not help clear her name.)

Castro issued the statement after the vice president said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s opinion on her impeachment trial was "of no importance," adding that the proceedings should be governed by the Constitution and due process.

Duterte was reacting to Marcos' earlier remark that it would be better for the vice president to personally appear before the impeachment court and that, if he were in her position, he would insist on attending.

The vice president is facing impeachment charges over allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes.

She was impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time on May 11. She was first impeached by the House on February 5, 2025, but the Supreme Court later declared the Articles of Impeachment unconstitutional.—MCG, GMA News