Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim, one of Vice President Sara Duterte's legal counsel, acknowledged that the pending grave threats case against her could have an effect on the ongoing impeachment proceedings but declined to speculate on how the two cases may influence each other.
During a virtual press conference on Friday, Lim was asked whether the filing of the grave threats case—an issue also cited in one of the Articles of Impeachment—could affect the impeachment trial, especially after the Department of Justice dismissed the inciting to sedition complaint.
Lim stressed that he is not part of the vice president's impeachment defense panel and chose not to comment on the matter.
“I would rather not comment kasi unang-una hindi ako kabilang doon sa defense, sa impeachment case, at ayaw ko namang bigyan ng kulay at unahan kung ano man yung paningin nila, ano man yung kanilang appreciation... Ganun pa man, I'm sure naman yung ating mga kababayan may kanya-kanya naman siguro mga pananaw tungkol dyan,” Lim said.
Asked whether the grave threats case could create a conflict with the impeachment proceedings, Lim said it is logical to expect that both cases could have some effect on each other if they move simultaneously but emphasized that any conclusion at this stage would be speculative.
“I think it's logical naman na magkakaroon ng effect... I would not be able to say if it can be a conflict. But definitely, there will be some effect, I suppose, because if they simultaneously move, both cases, of course, one might affect the other. But ayoko, that's just speculation on my part. Ayoko naman na magbigay ng konklusyon kung anong maaaring mangyari,” he said.
The remarks came after the vice president's camp formally sought oral arguments on its motion to dismiss the grave threats cases, arguing that the complaints carry "far-reaching consequences" and raise significant constitutional and legal issues that warrant full court deliberation.
