Malacañang said Thursday, October 15, that the possible successor to Vice President Sara Duterte in the event of her conviction in the impeachment trial is not being discussed, stressing that the proceedings have yet to reach a decision.
During the Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said it would be premature to speculate on a possible replacement while the defense has yet to present its evidence and the impeachment court has not issued a ruling.
“Wala pa pong conviction. Hindi tayo pwedeng mag-anticipate, hindi tayo pwedeng mag-speculate dahil ang defense ay magpe-presenta pa po ng kanilang ebidensya,” Castro said.
She emphasized that the government would respect the ongoing proceedings and the position of the vice president, adding that discussions about a potential successor would be inappropriate at this stage.
“So in fairness at pag-respeto sa posisyon ng vice president, hindi po ito pag-uusapan at hindi pa po ito pag-uusapan. Hayaan natin gumulong ang proseso,” she added.
Castro’s remarks came amid questions about the possible political implications of the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, whose case remains pending before the impeachment court.
