Sara Duterte defense denies plan to present ‘Mary Grace Piattos’

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday denied reports that they are prepared to present Mary Grace Piattos, an alleged beneficiary of the Office of the Vice President’s confidential funds, as part of her defense.

In a statement, Atty. Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte’s impeachment defense team, said claims circulating in media reports and on social media were “inaccurate.”

According to Poa, the defense team is prepared to address all allegations against the Vice President and not limited to presenting a specific individual.

He said some reports suggested that a person referred to as “Mary Grace Piattos” would be presented as part of the Vice President’s defense.

“For clarity, this is inaccurate. I have not made any such statement, nor have I confirmed or announced any such course of action,” Poa said.

“We respectfully appeal to our colleagues in the media to avoid attributing statements or positions that were never made, in the interest of a fair public discussion,” he added.

On Monday, 2 February, the defense team said it was ready to face newly filed impeachment complaints following the submission of two additional petitions by the Makabayan bloc and other groups against Duterte.

On 29 January, the Supreme Court affirmed its earlier ruling declaring the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte unconstitutional.

In July 2025, the high court unanimously ruled that the Articles of Impeachment were barred by the one-year rule under Article XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Constitution.

In December 2024, three impeachment complaints were filed against the Vice President in connection with the alleged misuse of confidential funds.