VP Sara legal team preps for orals
The oral arguments will center on the disputed 16-vote threshold for conviction in Duterte’s impeachment trial.
The oral arguments will center on the disputed 16-vote threshold for conviction in Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team is preparing its arguments for the Senate impeachment court’s 23 September oral arguments on the number of votes required to convict an impeached official.
Defense spokesperson 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.
“The defense has no comment, and really, at this point, we would rather not comment because we still have oral arguments on the 23rd,” Gular said in a radio interview.
“That will be where we will lay out our entire position — what our position is and what our arguments are,” he added.
Gular said the defense team was still preparing for the proceedings and had yet to finalize who would deliver its oral arguments.
“It hasn’t been decided yet. 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.
“We cannot disclose who will actually deliver the oral arguments on Wednesday. Let’s wait and see,” 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.
Baste next up
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.
