Vice President Sara Duterte officially requested the Senate impeachment court on Monday to reject the impeachment charges lodged against her, with her lawyers emphasizing that a total dismissal is their top priority before the trial begins.
Atty. Michael Poa, Duterte’s defense counsel, brought five suitcases to the Senate containing the Vice President’s formal reply to the writ of summons.
While this filing serves as her camp’s official response to the impeachment court, Duterte’s team is also simultaneously fighting the complaints through a separate petition filed before the Supreme Court.
“But foremost ang gusto natin sana ma-dismiss itong articles ng impeachment laban sa kanya. But kung ano naman nangyari handa naman kami depensehan ng ating VP,” Poa said in a press briefing.
Poa reiterated that securing a dismissal remains the defense team’s primary objective in the Senate.
“We are the defense. We will wait first. Of course, we have witnesses in mind but as to the details, we will wait first because the burden of evidence here is on the prosecution,” he said.
“So once they present their evidence, that’s where we will determine what we need to present to rebut whatever they present,” he added.
Following this submission, the House prosecution panel has been given a five-day window to file its reply before the Senate conducts pre-trial proceedings ahead of the formal impeachment trial scheduled for June.