Cabrera abandons right to reply, seeks to speed up House process

Third impeachment case complainant Atty. Nathaniel Cabrera filed his manifestation to officially waive his right to file a formal reply to the response of Vice President Sara Duterte on the ongoing impeachment proceedings.

Cabrera said that the response submitted by VP Duterte’s camp presented “no new factual matters,” instead focusing on procedural matters and general denials of accusations to the grounds of her impeachment.

“Notably, respondent failed to specifically deny the material allegations of the complaint. The Answer does not squarely traverse the ultimate facts alleged and effectively amounts to a non-answer,” his manifestation read.

The lawyer also shot down the assertion of the Vice President that the cases filed against her lacked “ultimate facts,” noting that the defense misunderstood the rules of the proceedings in its current stage.

Cabrera said that his move was aimed at speeding up the process of the committee as he explained that a reply was not necessary given the nature of the reply.

“In these circumstances, the filing of a reply would serve no useful purpose and would only delay the proceedings,” he said.

Chairperson of the House Committee on Justice Gerville Luistro confirmed in an interview this Tuesday that a hearing regarding the response of VP Duterte will be held this coming Wednesday, March 18.