Vice President Sara Duterte briefly visited the Senate on Tuesday to consult with her defense counsel, maintaining a defiant stance in the face of her ongoing impeachment trial.
Addressing reporters during her short visit, the Vice President delivered a resolute message before leaving without taking questions:
“In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed.”
Before her arrival, defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa clarified that Duterte’s presence at the building was strictly for legal consultations and that she would skip the afternoon’s formal trial session.
“Yes, I can confirm na dadating si Vice President Sara Duterte in a few minutes, but she will only be here for a meeting with the defense team,” Poa said. “Meron kaming napag-usapan na magkikita kami today dito sa holding room ng defense team para magpaliwanag ang ilang bagay-bagay, but she will not be attending the hearing, the scheduled hearing this afternoon.”
Poa explained that the Vice President had a tight schedule, which included overseeing disaster response preparations for an incoming super typhoon.
“She has engagements din po kasi; that’s why she’s in Manila, and she will have to proceed to her engagements after the meeting,” Poa noted.
He also dismissed rumors that Duterte was evading the trial, emphasizing that her legal team is fully participating in the Senate proceedings.
“Yes, hindi po (iniiwasan ni VP Sara ang impeachment trial) kaya nga po nandito ‘yung mga abogado niya. Kung umiwas po kami eh baka hindi na kami lumahok sa Senado,” he stated.
The impeachment trial, presided over by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, formally opened on July 6. It stems from the House of Representatives’ May decision to impeach Duterte over allegations of graft, bribery, and betrayal of public trust.
The Senate originally convened as an impeachment court on May 18, and the defense has already filed a formal motion to dismiss the charges.