Vice President Sara Duterte admitted she initially wanted a “bloodbath” in the upcoming impeachment trial at the Senate, but said her legal team has taken the reins in determining how to respond to the Articles of Impeachment.
“Ako yung client. May sarili akong gusto. Mayroon din akong mga abogado. Nagbabayad ako sa kanila for their professional services,” Duterte told members of the media.
She added, “Ang expertise nila na maghanda at magdefend ng impeachment case so as a client hindi ko papairalin yung gusto ko over sa gusto ng abogado because that would mean I would waste my money paying lawyers but not listening to their expert advise. Ayoko magsunog ng pera.”
Duterte’s statement comes after some members of the House prosecution panel claimed that the Vice President’s response to the Articles of Impeachment was the “bloodbath” they didn’t anticipate.
The Vice President’s camp has entered a “not guilty” plea in response to the charges, which include betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, after 215 lawmakers signed the resolution—well above the required threshold to transmit the case to the Senate for trial.