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DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/17 March) – Vice President Sara Z. Duterte stated that the two impeachment complaints filed against her lack sufficient facts to substantiate allegations of impeachable offenses and argued that the proceedings violate her right to due process.
In her 13-page Answer Ad Cautelam filed on Monday, Duterte claimed there was a denial of due process when the House Committee on Justice applied “double standards” in handling impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and herself.
The House Committee on Justice had deemed the two complaints against her “sufficient in form and substance” on March 4, 2026.
Duterte alleged that the Committee dismissed complaints against Marcos on February 9 based on “extraneous considerations,” while failing to apply the same standards to her case. She argued that the Committee prematurely treated allegations against her as established truth before trial.
Two complaints were filed on February 2, with two more on February 9 and 18. The Committee began deliberations on March 2 and 4. One complaint was later withdrawn.
Complainants waived their right to reply to Duterte’s response, criticizing her for failing to explain how she spent P125 million in 11 days or account for P612.5 million in public funds.
Duterte countered that the complaints referenced a pending Commission on Audit (COA) case, which remains unresolved on appeal. She also disputed the Committee’s reliance on an affidavit by detained witness Ramil Lagunoy Madriaga, calling his claims unverified.
She maintained that the complaints lacked essential facts, relying instead on conjecture, and argued that alleged violations did not meet the threshold for impeachable offenses. The complaints accused her of plunder, malversation, graft, and technical malversation but provided no conclusive evidence or court rulings.
Duterte further questioned the inclusion of unsubstantiated claims, such as threats against Marcos and others, as impeachment grounds. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
