Kabataan Party-list Representative Renee Louise Co took a swipe at Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense lawyers after the Vice President visited the Senate to meet with her legal team before the second day of her impeachment trial.
Co, who serves as a spokesperson for the House prosecution team, held a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, July 7, alongside House impeachment adviser Robert Ace Barbers.
The briefing followed Duterte’s sudden appearance at the Senate—a sharp shift from Monday, July 6, when she skipped the trial’s opening day.
Reacting to the Vice President’s huddle with her lawyers, Co quipped:
”We heard that she (Duterte) will be here to confer with her team today. We just like to say that judging by the performance of the defense team yesterday (Monday), I, too, would like to confer with my team.”
She went on to add:
”So, we’ll see kung ano po ang maging results ng consultation today. But the House has been long ready para depensahan at i-argue yung mga articles of impeachment.”
The first-term lawmaker pointed out what she labeled as massive gaps in the opening remarks made by lead defense attorney Sheila Sison on Monday.
”Two things ang na-note natin sa opening statement ng defense. One, wala pong full stop claim that VP Sara is innocent. Yun ang hinahanap natin sa kahit anong opening statement ng ating defense. Ikalawa, hindi rin po inaddress yung article of impeachment on the death threats,” Co explained.
“Glaring na pagkukulang yung naging opening statement ng defense and baka wise for VP Sara to confer with the defense team today on that matter.”
Barbers also dismissed the significance of the Vice President’s brief visit, emphasizing that showing up at the Senate does not equate to accountability.
Duterte left the premises before the formal trial session began at 2:00 PM.
The high-stakes impeachment trial involves several heavy accusations against Duterte, including the suspected mismanagement of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, discrepancies in her asset declarations (SALN), hidden wealth, and making death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.