Malacañang on Wednesday said Vice President Sara Duterte should directly address the allegations raised against her in the impeachment trial instead of relying on rhetoric about a political “bloodbath.”
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the statement after Duterte, who skipped the trial proceedings and instead met with her defense team, said Tuesday: “In this bloodbath, in this bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed.”
Castro said Duterte’s statement appeared to draw from William Ernest Henley’s poem Invictus, but noted that the Vice President still did not deny the accusations against her.
“Well, anyway, feeling niya na bloodbath ito at alam naman natin na ito ang kaniyang hiniling. Siya mismo ang nagnanais ng isang bloodbath. But, sa kanyang maigsing salita kahapon ay wala pa rin tayong nadinig na pagtanggi sa mga akusasyon na ibinabato sa kaniya,” Castro said.
Castro said Duterte may have chosen to leave the matter to her defense lawyers as part of their legal strategy.
While acknowledging that Duterte’s presence at the hearing was not yet required, Castro said the public may still want to hear directly from the Vice President, particularly on whether she denies the allegations.
“Mas nanaisin siguro ng taumbayan na madinig mismo kay Bise Presidente ang pagtanggi ng mga akusasyon sa kaniya hindi lang puro technicalities ang ginagawang depensa,” she said.
Asked whether Malacañang agreed with Duterte’s description of the proceedings as “bloody,” Castro said the trial could turn that way if the public does not see the truth behind the accusations.
“Magiging madugo talaga ‘to kung hindi makikita ng taumbayan ang katotohanan at iyan naman ang hinahanap ng ating mga kababayan – malaman ano ba talaga ang mga katotohanan sa mga ibinabato sa kaniya,” Castro said.
Duterte is facing impeachment over allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery of Department of Education officials, and grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Castro also said Marcos supports whatever action the Senate takes in the impeachment trial, provided that it remains within the bounds of the law.
She made the remark when asked about Sen. Pia Cayetano’s statement that Malacañang may be asked to call a special session because it appears to be “very supportive” of the majority bloc.
“Kung iyon ang kanyang suhestiyon siguro hindi na niya kailangan mag-utos sa iba kung maaari naman niya siguro itong gawin,” Castro said.
Castro also responded to Cayetano’s comment about her, saying the senator appeared to point out that she seemed out of breath whenever she speaks.