VP Sara urged: Challenge evidence early in House hearings

A veteran litigator and former law dean is urging the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte to aggressively contest evidence at the House level, saying the current proceedings offer a critical window to weaken the case before it reaches a full impeachment trial in the Senate.

In a television interview, impeachment defense lawyer Jose Roy III said the ongoing determination of probable cause before the House Committee on Justice is the most strategic stage for the defense to act.

“That is my opinion as a litigator,” Roy said, stressing that early engagement allows Duterte’s legal team to “rebut and refute everything right there before it’s brought to the Senate.”

Roy argued that by confronting the allegations and evidence now, the defense could narrow the scope of issues or even exclude some entirely, before they are elevated to an impeachment trial in the Senate of the Philippines.

He pointed out that such a strategy could have been decisive in past cases, citing the 2012 impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, where the defense had limited opportunity to challenge accusations before trial.

“If Mr. Corona had had that opportunity, I would say let’s go. Let’s go to that hearing, let’s rebut and refute everything right there before it’s brought to the Senate,” Roy said, noting that early participation helps “qualify” the case before it advances. 

“So that by the time we get to the Senate, this has already been qualified,” he pointed out.

The lawyer added that engaging at the House level gives the defense a chance to question whether the allegations meet the threshold for impeachment and whether the evidence is relevant or admissible. It potentially weakens the prosecution’s position, Roy further stressed.

The House justice panel continues hearings on multiple impeachment complaints against Duterte. 

Among the materials presented are financial records flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) involving transactions linked to accounts associated with the Vice President and her family.

While the proceedings remain at the probable cause stage, Roy said that how the defense responds now could shape the trajectory of the case long before it reaches the Senate floor.

“It’s a good opportunity for the defense to pare down and to limit whatever should be or can be brought to trial,” he said.