Duterte camp: Bring it on

Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team says it’s game on — but gave a clear warning.

As the Senate prepares to open her impeachment trial, Duterte’s lawyers issued a statement on Monday, saying they are ready to confront the allegations head-on and prove that the charges are legally flawed and politically motivated.

“Should the Senate choose to proceed, we stand ready to confront the charges and expose the baselessness of the accusations against the Vice President,” the defense team said.

But they didn’t stop there. They also lashed out at what they believe is a dangerous precedent — turning the impeachment process into a political weapon.

“The impeachment process must never be weaponized to harass, silence, or eliminate political opponents. It is a constitutional mechanism, not a political tool,” the lawyers stressed.

Their remarks came amid the growing calls by some quarters for the Senate to immediately act on the impeachment complaint filed earlier this year by the House of Representatives.

The clamor has grown louder after months of political maneuvering and speculation about the Vice President’s future in government.

Duterte’s legal camp said they have been receiving numerous requests for comment, but have chosen to remain silent — at least for now.

“We deem it proper to refrain from commenting on matters that are exclusive and internal to the Senate,” they said. “However, we reiterate our firm position that the initiation of the impeachment process—particularly the fourth impeachment complaint—suffers from serious constitutional infirmities.”

Duterte was impeached on 5 February after the House voted overwhelmingly — 215 lawmakers in favor — to adopt the articles of impeachment against her. She stands accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes over, among other things, the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) of both her office and the Department of Education, which she had concurrently headed.

Critics have long questioned the lack of transparency and legal basis for Duterte’s use of the CIFs — funds intended for agencies involved in national security and law enforcement.

But Duterte has repeatedly defended the spending as “lawful and necessary,” arguing that her office had followed regulations.

The next stage of the impeachment process is now in the hands of the Senate, which is set to convene as an impeachment court.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero recently announced the postponement to 11 June of the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment to give way to the passage of pending legislation before the end of the 19th Congress.

With the trial looming, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Duterte — a key political figure widely seen as a presidential contender in 2028 — is not only fighting for her job but is navigating a highly charged political environment.

For now, her defense team is projecting confidence — while sending a not-so-subtle message to her critics: “we’re not backing down.”