The House prosecution team has reiterated its call for Vice President Sara Duterte to attend her Senate impeachment trial, emphasizing that confronting the charges is a fundamental obligation to the public.
House prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon criticized Duterte’s selective presence at legal matters, pointing out that she attended a court hearing in Davao City for her brother, Rep. Paolo Duterte, who faces grave threats charges, yet continues to absent herself from her own impeachment trial.
“Of course the proceedings of her brother matter dahil kapatid niya yun. But I think the more important proceeding for her own grave threats proceeding at the Senate Impeachment Court, tapos na ‘yun and she did not attend it,” Ridon noted, referencing former Chief Justice Renato Corona’s decision to personally face his trial in 2012.
Ridon acknowledged that while personal attendance is not legally mandatory, stepping into the Senate chamber would allow the Vice President to directly refute the prosecution’s claims.
“Hindi siya required to attend pero pag meron siyang righteous indignation dito sa proceedings na ginaganap laban sa kanya, she should be there to look prosecutors in the eye ‘na mga sinungaling kayong lahat, walang batayan yung kaso niyo,’ but she hasn’t done it,” Ridon said.
He stressed that Duterte remains the sole official who can clarify unresolved questions surrounding over P600 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education under her tenure, particularly regarding questioned signatures on acknowledgment receipts.
“Our expectation talaga and the public’s expectation, magpakita ang Pangalawang Pangulo sa kanyang paglilitis hanggang sa pinakadulo,” Ridon said. “Ang totoo naman, she doesn’t have to speak there, pero ultimately kailangan niya harapin ang mga tanong e. There are 125 million questions that need to be answered for this confidential fund issue.”
Echoing the call, House prosecution spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong urged Duterte to show the same commitment to her national duties as she does to family matters.
“The weight that she displayed her loyalty or her obligation to her siblings should also equate to the obligation she needs to perform by facing the charges hurled against her,” Adiong said. “Yung obligation niya sa taong-bayan, hindi natin nakita yun. Mukhang selective yung pagpupunta niya sa ganitong klaseng issue.”