Sara defense team rejects claim of snub in House impeachment hearing

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday rejected claims that she disrespected the House of Representatives after she and her lawyers skipped the latest impeachment hearing.

At a media briefing, Duterte’s lawyer Atty. Sheila Sison said they had formally informed the House Committee on Justice of their decision through a letter sent before the hearing.

“We had responded to the invitation that was extended to us signed by the chairperson of the Committee and we had submitted this even before the Committee hearing today,” Sison said.

“So we don’t know, we don’t understand how that could be a form of disrespect,” she added.

Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima earlier criticized Duterte for failing to attend the proceedings.

“It's very unfortunate that the respondent herself is disrespecting the proceedings of the committee,” De Lima said.

Invitations were emailed on 19 March and acknowledged the same day by both the Office of the Vice President and the firm Fortun Narvasa & Salazar.

However, Duterte did not formally notify the panel of her absence.

Instead, she issued a public statement urging the committee to dismiss the complaints for “lack of evidence.”

The only document received by the panel was a letter from her lawyers, which did not clearly state whether they would attend.

“She should have at the very least manifested formally that she will not be appearing before this committee rather than just issuing statements before the media,” De Lima said.

The defense said their absence was based on a “fundamental objection” to the panel’s jurisdiction, arguing that the proceedings resembled a trial.

“And at this point we really feel or we believe that the Committee really has no jurisdiction to conduct any form of trial,” they said.

Duterte’s camp maintained that she is ready to face the allegations in the proper forum.

“She is prepared to meet the charges against her before the proper jurisdiction,” Sison said.

The House Committee on Justice is currently determining whether the impeachment complaints against Duterte should be elevated to the plenary and eventually transmitted to the Senate for trial.