CAGAYAN de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Wednesday expressed disappointment over Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s legal team, saying her Answer to the impeachment complaints—signed by 16 lawyers—failed to directly address key allegations.
“I have read the Consolidated Verified Answer Ad Cautelam (with Caution), and certainly I would express my disappointment with the legal team of the Vice President, who has 16 lawyers who have signed this particular answer,” Rodriguez said during the hearing of the House Committee on Justice.
16 lawyers, including prominent practitioners and former government officials, signed Duterte’s pleading, forming a large and high-profile defense team.
Many of them are from the law firm Fortun Narvasa & Salazar, including senior lawyers such as Philip Sigfrid Fortun and Gregorio Narvasa II, which earlier entered its appearance in the impeachment proceedings.
Despite the size and experience of Duterte’s defense team, Rodriguez said the submission did not meet basic expectations for responding to serious charges.
Rodriguez said that the six grounds mentioned in the third complaint should have been answered one by one.
“However, in this case, there is no answer to the six grounds of the third complaint, and also no direct answer to the five grounds,” he added.
Rodriguez, a former dean of the San Sebastian College of Law, said the lack of a clear, ground-by-ground response prevents the committee from fully assessing the vice president’s defense.
“I am surprised that in this particular instance, there is no discussion per ground, and therefore would not give us the real answer of the respondent to the six and five grounds,” he said.
The remarks came as the committee resumed proceedings to determine whether sufficient grounds exist to move forward with the impeachment process.
The panel is currently addressing the third and fourth complaints, previously deemed sufficient in both form and substance.
These include allegations of misuse of confidential and intelligence funds, unexplained wealth, violations of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth requirements, bribery, and a supposed threat against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
Rodriguez noted that only two issues were addressed in the Answer—the alleged P125 million confidential funds in 2022 and the supposed threat against top officials—but said both responses were inadequate.
“A bare answer to definite allegations and ultimate facts in the third complaint and the fourth complaint. It does not have the facts that could constitute the real answer, so a hearing would be required on this particular matter,” he said.
He added that explanations previously mentioned by the vice president were not reflected in the Answer.
“I have heard the Vice President say that Mary Grace Piattos will be explained, and the 11 days will be explained of the 125 million, but unfortunately, it’s not here,” Rodriguez said.
On the alleged threat, Rodriguez said the Answer amounted only to a general denial.
“With a very short answer, Madam Chair, I therefore require a hearing on this particular issue,” he said.
Given these gaps, Rodriguez said there are sufficient grounds to proceed with hearings.
“There is therefore sufficient ground for the 125 million confidential fund,” he said.
“So as far as these two, Madam Chair, I find there is sufficient grounds to continue with the hearing of this case,” he added.
He emphasized that the committee’s previous conclusion still stands, given the lack of a clear response to the other allegations.
Rodriguez stated, “The committee’s decision maintains its sufficiency in substance, as the other allegations did not receive a clear, ground-by-ground response.”
