House Committee on Justice chairperson and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro said the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte is more likely to reach the Senate if her camp fails to appear in the upcoming “mini-trial.”

The justice panel, in a unanimous decision late Wednesday, found the third and fourth complaints against the Vice President sufficient in grounds, prompting the next phase of the proceedings — the hearing proper — set to begin on 25 March.

Luistro said the hearings would allow the defense counsel to present arguments against the allegations, which lawmakers noted were lacking in Duterte’s ad cautelam submission after the panel’s finding of sufficiency in form and substance.

She said the presence of Duterte’s camp in the hearings is crucial if they intend to block the complaints’ elevation to the Senate.

“They should anticipate that this impeachment complaint will, indeed, be transmitted to the Senate,” Luistro said.

Duterte and her camp have maintained that the allegations —including of bribery, malversation of confidential funds, verbal threats of violence against officials, and other high crimes — are baseless and have “no ultimate facts.”

The complainants, meanwhile, waived their right to submit a reply to expedite the proceedings.

Hearings are scheduled on 25 March, 14 April, 22 April and 29 April after the panel was granted authority to continue the proceedings during the congressional recess.