Vice President Sara Duterte will continue participating in her impeachment trial with caution and reserves the right to pursue available legal remedies following the Senate impeachment court’s decision to lower the voting threshold for conviction, her lead defense counsel Sheila Sison said Wednesday, September 23.
Speaking during the 29th day of the proceedings, Sison emphasized that Duterte does not shy away from accountability or fear the outcome of the trial but expects fairness and impartiality from the impeachment court.
“Let it be clear that the respondent does not shrink from accountability nor does she fear the outcome of this impeachment trial,” Sison said.
She cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in Duterte v. House of Representatives, which emphasizes that impeachment is a constitutional and legal process that must operate within the framework of the Constitution, even in a political environment.
Sison said Duterte is asking only for the fundamental guarantees of a fair and impartial proceeding.
“She asked for nothing spectacular from this court, only the most essential and basic guarantees due to every individual, fairness and impartiality sa isang korteng pinagkalooban ng pinaka-iingatang mga prinsipyo sa ilalim ng ating saligang batas,” she said.
Following the court’s ruling on the voting threshold, Sison placed on record that Duterte’s participation in the trial would henceforth be marked by caution.
“Mula sa araw na ito, the respondent's participation or any participation that the respondent will have in this trial ay may tahasang pag-iingat or without prejudice,” Sison said.
She added that Duterte reserves the right to exhaust all legal remedies available under the law and the Constitution, while affirming her commitment to a fair trial and impartial decision.
“At matapang na maninindigan sa isang makatarungang paglilitis at sa bandang huli, pagpapasya,” Sison said.
