The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte is preparing its arguments for the Senate impeachment court’s Sept. 23 oral arguments on the number of votes required to convict an impeached official.

Defense spokesperson Atty. Justin Gular said Friday that the camp would withhold its position for now, saying it would present its arguments before the impeachment court next week.

“Wala naman pong comment ang defense and really at this point we would rather not comment kasi may oral argument pa kami ngayong 23,” Gular said in a radio interview.

“Yan na po namin ilalahat kung ano po ang position namin, ano po ang argument natin,” he added.

Gular said the defense team was still preparing for the proceedings and had yet to finalize who would deliver its oral arguments.

“Hindi pa naman siya decided. It's a developing matter. The defense team is still currently preparing,” he said.

He also declined to confirm reports that defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa would represent the camp during the arguments.

“Hindi po namin pwede ma-disclose kung sino po talaga yung mag-oral argue on Wednesday. Abangan na lang po natin,” Gular said.

The oral arguments will center on the disputed 16-vote threshold for conviction in Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero had ruled at the start of the trial that 16 affirmative votes are required, based on the constitutional provision requiring the concurrence of two-thirds of all members of the 24-member Senate. 

Meanwhile, the impeachment court has separately subpoenaed Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte as a prospective prosecution witness in the Article II proceedings concerning allegations of unexplained wealth.

Baste Duterte’s subpoena covers transactions between the Davao City government and Gencorp Industries Inc., a company that Vice President Duterte identified as a business interest in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. 

Gular declined to comment when asked whether the defense was amenable to Baste Duterte appearing before the impeachment court or whether the mayor’s camp had indicated if he would comply with the subpoena.

The subpoena for Baste Duterte was issued for Sept. 23, although Escudero said his appearance could be moved depending on the pace of the proceedings and the availability of earlier witnesses.

For now, Gular said the defense would focus on preparing for the threshold arguments.

“Hindi lang po namin discuss ngayon yung argument namin kasi siyempre mag-argue pa kami sa korte,” he said.###