THERE is no rule allowing lawyers of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte to participate in House impeachment hearings, House Committee on Justice Chair Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” R. Luistro of Batangas said Tuesday, as she clarified key procedural issues ahead of deliberations on the four complaints against the Vice President.
“Wala po sa rules ang participation ng lawyers. It will only be the members of the Justice Committee who will participate in the deliberation,” Luistro said in an ambush interview.
Luistro added that any request from the Vice President’s lawyers would still be subject to the panel’s collective decision.
“But in case there will be intention on the part of the lawyers of the vice president, this will be decided upon by the members,” Luistro said.
Luistro also stressed that Duterte will be invited to attend the hearings but made clear that her presence is optional under due process.
“The Vice President will definitely be invited. Sabi ko nga sa inyo, that’s her right. That’s part of the right to due process. But as to whether she will come or otherwise, it is actually her prerogative,” she said.
“Kung dadating siya, it means that she is exercising her right to due process. Otherwise, that only means that she is waiving her right to be present during the hearing,” Luistro said.
Asked whether skipping the hearing could work against the Vice President, Luistro replied: “If she doesn’t come, that only means that she is waiving her right.”
On the fourth impeachment complaint’s request to subpoena the Vice President’s bank records and those of her immediate family, Luistro declined to speculate.
“I do not want to preempt the discussion about the possibility of getting these bank records. We have to determine first whether this impeachment will pass the sufficiency in form and substance,” she said.
Luistro emphasized that no further action can proceed if the complaints fail to meet the initial standards.
“Dito muna tayo sa initial stages ng proceeding ng Justice Committee and that is the determination of form and substance. Because if they do not pass in the standard of form and substance, no further proceeding will happen in the Justice Committee,” Luistro said.
Responding to criticism that Congress should focus on other matters instead of impeachment, Luistro maintained that the House can handle multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
“That is why I just finished. I just concluded my hearing on the creation of a court sala and on the petition for naturalization,” she said.
“Yes, we understand that. We are very much aware. Not just the Justice Committee but the rest of the committees and the rest of the members of the House have other matters to do bukod dito sa impeachment. And that’s why we really need to work hard for us to be able to address all our duty here in the House of Representatives,” Luistro said.
Luistro reiterated that the panel would strictly follow established procedures, beginning with determining sufficiency in form and sufficiency in substance, before moving to subsequent stages.
“As I have said in the past interviews, kung anong procedure, kung anong parameter ang ginamit natin sa impeachment against the President, we will be adopting the same with respect to our impeachment process against the vice president,” Luistro said.
For now, she underscored, the focus remains procedural — and within the bounds of the House rules and Constitution.
The fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte centers on allegations that she failed to fully disclose assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) and may have accumulated unexplained wealth disproportionate to her lawful income.
The verified complaint was filed by Atty. Nathaniel G. Cabrera and endorsed by House Committee on Human Rights Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. of Manila and Deputy Speaker Francisco Paolo Ortega V.
The complaint accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, bribery and other high crimes.
At the core of the new filing are allegations that certain assets, bank accounts, cash holdings and property transactions were either omitted, understated or not fully reflected in her SALNs.
