THE House prosecution team on Friday questioned Vice President Sara Duterte’s absence from proceedings involving her own cases while she appeared at the court hearing of her brother, Rep. Paolo Duterte, saying she should also face the allegations and accountability proceedings directed against her.
Earlier reports said VP Duterte accompanied her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, during his August 13 arraignment at the Regional Trial Court Branch 52 in Davao City over a grave threats case filed by a businessman.
Prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon (Bicol Saro Partylist) said the Vice President’s appearance at her brother’s grave-threats proceeding, despite her absence from her own proceedings, raised questions about how she regards the impeachment case and other accountability mechanisms she is facing.
“The proceedings of her brother matter, kasi syempre kapatid niya po yun,” Ridon said. “Pero I think the more important proceeding for her would be her own grave threats proceeding at the Senate Impeachment Court.”
Ridon said the grave-threats proceeding involving the Vice President had already concluded, yet she did not appear, while she attended the proceeding involving her brother.
The prosecution has completed its presentation of Article 4 of the impeachment charge against Duterte, alleging she committed an impeachable offense by contracting an assassin to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, among others.
While Ridon acknowledged that the Vice President is not required to attend the impeachment proceedings, he said her presence would demonstrate that she is prepared to confront the accusations against her.
“But the truth is, kung meron po siyang righteous indignation dito po sa proceedings na ginaganap po laban sa kanya, she should be there to look at the prosecutors in the eye na mga sinungaling kayong lahat. Walang batayan yung kaso ninyo,” he said.
Ridon cited former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona’s appearance during his own impeachment trial as an example of a respondent personally confronting the proceedings, even though Corona was eventually convicted.
The prosecutors said the Vice President would ultimately have to answer questions surrounding the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Ridon pointed to issues involving the use of the name Mary Grace Piattos and the signing of acknowledgment receipts, saying the prosecution expects the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) report to further illuminate questions about who actually received the funds.
“She has to answer why did they use Mary Grace Piattos, surnames of senators and congressmen, when acknowledgement receipts were signed? At pag ilatag ho yung NBI report, kailangan ho nila ipaliwanag na rito,” he added.
Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesperson of the House prosecution panel, said the prosecution understands why the Vice President would appear at her brother’s arraignment but stressed that her obligation to her family should also be matched by her obligation to the Filipino people.
“But the way that she displayed her loyalty or her obligation to her sibling should also equate (with) the obligation that she needs to perform by facing the charges held against her,” he said.
“Yung obligasyon niya naman sa taong-bayan, hindi natin nakita ’yon,” he added.
Ridon also drew attention to the fact that both the Vice President and her brother are facing grave-threats cases.
He described the situation as “like brother, like sister,” while posing a broader question about the pattern of allegations confronting the Duterte siblings.
“And the question to them is, and the question of the nation is, does it actually run in the family?” Ridon said.
Amid this issue, the prosecution panel stressed that its focus remains on the allegations being examined in the impeachment proceedings.
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