The House prosecution panel has dismissed Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s defense that her alleged threat against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was protected under freedom of expression, emphasizing that no constitutional right is absolute and that the issue rests with the Senate impeachment court.
House trial spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said freedom of expression is subject to limits and that public officials must face consequences for statements that threaten others.
“One cannot make threats against anyone without accountability,” Alonto Adiong said, noting that Duterte’s November 2024 online press conference, in which she reportedly instructed someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, triggered the impeachment article. Duterte herself later stressed the remarks were “no joke.”
“The focus is on the effect of the statements on those targeted, not just the context in which they were made,” Alonto Adiong explained. He pointed out that Duterte’s own words confirmed the threats were meant to be taken seriously.
The prosecution emphasized that public officials have a duty to set an example, warning that normalizing threats could have serious societal consequences. “It is our civic responsibility to ensure our actions are a model for the youth and the Filipino people. Threats should never become normalized,” Alonto Adiong said.
The Senate impeachment court completed pre-trial proceedings on June 25 and is set to formally open the trial on July 6, where it will determine whether Duterte’s alleged statements constitute betrayal of public trust and high crimes.
“The evidence we have will be presented before the Senate, and it is now up to the court to decide the gravity and legality of these threats,” Alonto Adiong added.