Vice President Sara Duterte said the hearings at the House Committee on Justice on the impeachment complaints against her is another round of “fishing expedition.”
She said then invitation is being used to create a “media narrative” of a so-called “mini-trial.”
“Sa ganitong paraan, ginagamit ang mga pagdinig upang makapagsagawa na naman ang House of Representatives ng ikatlong fishing expedition laban sa akin,” Duterte said in a statement on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the first day of the hearings in the committee.
She did not attend the hearing, saying there is no rule requiring the respondent in an impeachment complaint to attend the hearings of the House Committee on Justice.
“Malinaw na walang patakaran na nagsasabing kailangang personal na dumalo ang respondent sa impeachment complaint sa mga pagdinig ng Committee on Justice,” Duterte said in a statement.
Duterte maintained that she already submitted her Answer ad cautelam and insisted that the complaints should be dismissed due to “clear lack of evidence.”
“Muli, inuuna ang politika kaysa sa kapakanan ng milyon-milyong Pilipino na hirap na hirap dahil sa mahal na bilihin,” Duterte said.
The two impeachment complaints filed against the Vice President alleged that she committed betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution due to the following:
- Threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and his family during an online press briefing
- Alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds
- Alleged non-declaration of assets
- Abuse of power and bribery using confidential funds
But Duterte said she would rather spend her time helping Filipinos cope with the economic burden, particularly families affected by high costs of living.
She said the country’s problem today is the looming closure of businesses, the loss of jobs, and the hardship faced by every Filipino family due to the continued increase in the prices of goods.
“Mas pipiliin kong ilaan ang aking oras sa pagtulong sa mga Pilipino—lalo na sa pagbibigay ng paalala, diretso sa mga komunidad, upang maibsan ang hirap sa gastusin ng mga pamilyang higit na nangangailangan,” Duterte said.
