Vice President Sara Duterte came to the Senate on Tuesday, a day after her historic impeachment trial began, but only to meet behind closed doors with her legal team.

Before entering the defense team’s holding room, Duterte faced the media and gave a short statement: “In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied, but unbowed.” She did not entertain questions.

Defense spokesperson Michael Poa said the Vice President’s visit was solely for a strategy meeting with her lawyers.

According to Poa, the meeting had long been scheduled to map out the defense’s next moves after Monday’s start of trial during which her lawyers immediately challenged the constitutionality of the impeachment proceedings.

“She has other engagements. That’s why she’s in Manila. She has to proceed to her engagements after our meeting,” Poa said.

Duterte skipped the first day of her impeachment trial on Monday, letting her 16-member legal team represent her before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. Under Senate rules, an impeached official is not required to personally attend every hearing and may appear through counsel.

The trial opened with sharply contrasting narratives. The House prosecutors framed the case as a constitutional test of public accountability, while the defense portrayed it as a politically motivated attempt to remove a high official elected by more than 32 million Filipinos.

Duterte is the first vice president to face an impeachment trial before the Senate. She faces allegations that include the misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and culpable violation of the Constitution. She has denied the accusations.

Earlier yesterday, Duterte visited detained Sen. Rodante Marcoleta at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

PNP officials said she arrived at around 7:30 a.m. and stayed for about an hour.

Marcoleta, one of Duterte’s closest allies and a senator-judge in the impeachment trial, was hospitalized after complaining of chest pains and an elevated blood pressure while undergoing booking procedures following his arrest on plunder charges.

Doctors said the 72-year-old lawmaker was clinically stable but remained under observation due to a fluctuating blood pressure.

The Sandiganbayan ordered Marcoleta’s arrest after finding probable cause to charge him with plunder over allegations that he received P75 million in illegal campaign contributions during the 2025 elections. The offense is non-bailable.