Atty. Michael Poa, one of the legal counsels of Vice President Sara Duterte, confirmed Tuesday that her defense team may seek intervention from the Supreme Court in connection with the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
In an interview, Poa admitted that elevating the matter to the High Court is a “real possibility,” though the legal team is still weighing developments that continue to shift week by week.
“Many are asking about, are we going up to the Supreme Court? And I have to admit, that’s a real possibility. But why haven’t we done it yet? Things are evolving from one week to another,” he explained.
Poa also revealed that the defense team has discussed the possible withdrawal or setting aside of the first impeachment complaint, as well as internal deliberations over what has been described as a “mini-trial.”
“It was more like when they found, they may have withdrawn a complaint and then may dismiss it or set aside. I think that’s the proper term that they use—set aside the first impeachment complaint. So there were already discussions within the team,” he said.
He added:
“So, but then the next week, and I hate to use this word because I want to be fair to the chairperson, the ‘mini-trial’ word, no? So of course, that’s another discussion within the team. Things are evolving, but I would not deny that the defense team has also been preparing.”
While the Vice President’s legal team has yet to formally confirm whether it will immediately file a petition before the Supreme Court, Poa emphasized that all legal options remain under consideration as the impeachment process continues.