Sara impeachment complainants defend dropping of 3 charges, cite other legal avenues

Complainants in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday defended the withdrawal of three of the four impeachment articles against her, saying allegations involving confidential funds and grave threats could still be pursued through separate legal proceedings.

In a joint statement, filers of the First Impeachment Complaint endorsed by Akbayan Party-list and the Third Impeachment Complaint endorsed by Mamamayang Liberal Party-list called the prosecution's decision “a strategic move to focus on the evidence and bring the proceedings to a timely resolution.”

Anti-corruption advocates and leaders of civil society groups, including the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, Akbayan Youth, August Twenty One Movement and NAGKAISA! Labor Coalition, also signed the statement.

"This is neither an abandonment of accountability nor an erasure of the allegations. Neither does it foreclose the pursuit of justice through other lawful processes," they said.

The complainants said the withdrawal would not prevent the allegations from being pursued elsewhere. They cited a plunder complaint filed before the Ombudsman over the alleged misuse of confidential funds and a grave threats case being heard before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

“Justice does not begin and end with the impeachment proceedings,” they said.

The Senate impeachment court on 13 October accepted the prosecution's withdrawal of Articles I, III and IV, leaving Article II, which concerns alleged unexplained wealth, undeclared assets and prohibited business interests, as the sole remaining charge.

Duterte's lawyers have objected to the withdrawal, arguing that their client would lose the opportunity to present evidence and rebut allegations aired during the proceedings.

"The irony is that the defense’s repeated attempts to delay and prolong the trial are precisely why narrowing the case has become necessary," they said.