Public expectations are mounting for Vice President Sara Duterte to personally attend her impeachment trial, with a House prosecution spokesperson saying her presence would be important in demonstrating accountability in a high-profile constitutional process.
House trial spokesperson and Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co said Duterte has previously declared readiness to face the charges before the proper forum, and this statement is now being weighed against her absence in earlier proceedings.
She said the Vice President may opt to be represented by authorized counsel, but this does not diminish what she described as a broader public expectation for her to personally confront the allegations.
Duterte had earlier said she was prepared and willing to respond to the impeachment case, a position the House prosecution spokesperson said should now be reflected in her participation in the proceedings.
She also pointed to Duterte’s prior absence from hearings before the House Committee on Justice, despite multiple summons issued during earlier stages of the impeachment process.
For the party-list solon, the issue extends beyond procedural compliance, stressing that public accountability is at stake and that citizens are watching whether the Vice President will personally demonstrate the willingness she previously expressed.
She said repeated absence could lead the public to form their own conclusions, particularly if Duterte continues to skip key stages of the process.
Co, however, said she remains hopeful that Duterte will appear before the impeachment court, adding that public officials are expected to face proceedings directly when called upon.
Despite the political and legal tensions surrounding the case, she emphasized that the House prosecution panel remains open to all submissions and defenses that Duterte may present before the Senate impeachment court, stressing that the case must proceed under due process.