Vice President Sara Z. Duterte on Tuesday reiterated her claim that the impeachment complaint against her is not backed by evidence, as the Senate impeachment court proceeded with the fifth day of trial hearings.

In a statement issued July 14, Duterte said developments during the fourth day of the proceedings showed that allegations raised against her were unfounded.

“Repeatedly claiming that there were threats when none existed, inventing an assassin where there was none, and fabricating evidence to support those claims does not transform fiction into fact,” Duterte said.

She added that such actions undermine public institutions, erode trust, and “corrupt the search for truth,” stressing that impeachment proceedings must be based on credible evidence rather than speculation or what she described as “manufactured narratives.”

“The rule of law depends on facts, not fiction,” she said.

As of writing, the Senate impeachment court has begun its fifth day of hearings, continuing deliberations on Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment.

The defense panel is set to resume its cross-examination of Jeremy Lotoc, a regional director of the National Bureau of Investigation, while the House prosecution panel is set to present Zuleika Lopez, chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President, as its third witness.

Defense spokesperson Michael Poa said it remains uncertain whether Duterte will personally attend Tuesday’s proceedings.