In response to Vice President Sara Duterte’s statement regarding a “bloodbath and bludgeoning” in the Senate impeachment trial against her, the House prosecution panel responded that it had never intended to commit acts of violence that would merit such sentiments.

During a press conference Monday morning, prosecution Spokesperson and Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said their aim has always only been accountability.

“Never po (naging) intention ng prosecution na magkaroon ng sakitan. Ang intention po talaga ng prosecution ay pananagutan,” Adiong told reporters.

He added that he does not know what has drawn such a statement from the vice president.

“Hindi po namin alam kung saan nanggagaling itong ‘dugo’ na parati po nilang ginagamit sa kanilang mga statement,” the lawmaker said.

In a separate press conference, defense panel member Atty. Michael Poa clarified that Duterte had meant her own blood to be shed as the respondent in the ouster.

“Ang ibig sabihin niya doon ay ‘yung sariling dugo niya, yung tatagatak dahil siya ‘yung naging subject nitong impeachment proceeding na ito… I guess it was subject to a lot of misinterpretation, which is understandable,” Poa told the media.

On July 7, the second day of the impeachment proceedings, Duterte had declared she would remain “unbowed” despite the “bloodbath” that was to come.

“In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed,” she said.

This remark has since garnered criticism. Prosecution panel member and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno previously denounced Duterte’s “dramatic” framing of the trial instead of personally facing the evidence against her.

“Bakit laging bloody ang script? Impeachment trial ito, hindi action movie. Ang tanong ng taumbayan: sasagutin ba ang ebidensya o puro drama na lang?” Diokno demanded.