The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is no longer in the hands of the Executive branch, a Palace official said on Friday.
“The President was very clear that from the start, he does not want an impeachment because there may be other legal means to hold people accountable,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
“But now the Vice President has been impeached. This is no longer in the hands of the President. It was just a suggestion on his part if the impeachment could have been avoided. (But now), we all know the impeachment trial is not the business of the Executive.”
She said the President will not interfere in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, emphasizing the importance of respecting institutional processes and the separation of powers.
“The President will not interfere. He said the process must be allowed to continue, and that due process must be respected. That is now in the hands of the prosecutors, in the hands of the Senate,” she added.
She called on the public to allow the legal process to unfold and to judge the actions of officials involved in the proceedings.
“The people will be the ones to watch and judge. The prosecutors must do their job, and the senators must perform their duties as senator-judges,” Castro said.
As this developed, House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union on Friday said the latest Social Weather Stations survey reflected a strong public demand for the Vice President to stop politicking, face the impeachment charges, and cooperate with the government for the good of the country.
“The message of the survey is clear: Face the case, stop politicking, and work together for the good of the country. That’s what the people expect from a Vice President,” he said.
The SWS survey showed 88 percent of Filipinos believe Duterte should face the impeachment charges and clear her name, while 74 percent of the respondents said the Vice President should work with the government rather than fight it.
“If VP Sara is really innocent, why is she afraid to face the allegations?” Ortega said.
Two members of the Makabayan bloc at the House said the pursuit of accountability, particularly in the impeachment of Duterte, must not be reduced to a mere popularity contest.
“The overwhelming 88 percent of Filipinos who believe that the Vice President must address the impeachment charges against her is a clear indication that the Filipino people demand accountability and transparency from their leaders,” House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers party-list said.
“This is not about political popularity; this is about ensuring that public officials are held accountable for the misuse of public funds,” she added.
The impeachment complaint, endorsed by 215 members of the House in February, accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
