House Committee on Justice Chairperson and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro said that Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment proceedings have a higher chance of reaching the Senate in the case of a no-show in the upcoming ‘mini-trial.’

The Justice panel deemed, in a unanimous decision last Wednesday, 18 March, the third and fourth complaints against the Vice President to have sufficient grounds, prompting the fourth step in the proceedings or the hearing proper to begin on 25 March.

Luistro said that the upcoming hearings allow for the defense counsel to provide arguments against the allegations pointed at Duterte, an action that many lawmakers said were absent in her Ad Cautelam that was submitted following the finding of sufficiency in form and substance.

She further explained that the presence of the camp in the upcoming process was necessary if they sought to bar the two complaints from a potential investigation in the Senate.

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

The committee chairperson underscored that the ‘mini-trial’ would allow for a balanced playing field for both the complainants and the respondents to present their witnesses and evidence in order to guide solons in deciding probable cause.

VP Duterte and her camp have maintained their stance from the start that the accusations of bribery, malversation of confidential funds, verbal threats of violence against officials, and other high crimes were baseless and had “no ultimate facts.”

The complainants, on the other hand, subsequently waived their right to submit their own reply in order to expedite the proceedings.

Aside from March 25, hearings are set to take place on April 14, 22, and 29 after being granted the ability to continue hearings during congressional recess.