THE House Committee on Justice will proceed with its scheduled impeachment hearing on Wednesday morning despite information that Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and her legal team will not participate, panel chair Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro of Batangas said Tuesday night.
Luistro said the committee has been advised that the vice president’s camp will not participate in the formal proceedings, raising questions about the constitutionality of the impeachment process.
“We received information that the vice president and her legal team will not be participating in tomorrow’s (Wednesday) formal hearing,” Luistro said.
Luistro said Duterte’s camp is raising constitutional concerns over the proceedings—an issue that, she stressed, will not halt the committee’s work.
“They are questioning the constitutionality of the proceedings, but the Committee on Justice is duty-bound to continue with its mandate under the Constitution,” Luistro said.
She emphasized that the panel will push through with the hearing as scheduled in line with its obligation to determine whether the impeachment complaints warrant further action.
“The hearing will proceed,” she added.
Luistro maintained that the committee remains committed to conducting the proceedings fairly and within the bounds of the Constitution, underscoring that the Vice President has been given the opportunity to respond to the allegations.
The formal hearings are part of the panel’s ongoing proceedings to assess the impeachment complaints against Duterte, which the committee earlier found sufficient in form, substance, and grounds.
The House panel will hear testimonies and examine evidence in its effort to determine probable cause, a key stage prior to any transmittal of the case to the Senate.
