Vice President Sara Duterte was again a no-show on Wednesday, April 22, as the House Committee on Justice of the House of Representatives resumed its hearing on impeachment complaints filed against her.
It was the third time Duterte failed to appear before the panel, which started on March 25, following previous hearings on April 14, despite the continued proceedings on allegations raised in the impeachment complaints.
The resumed hearing on the impeachment complaints against Duterte will tackle her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax records, and reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
During the Day 3 hearing, the committee still asked the record if the Vice President was present, giving her the opportunity to respond to documents and testimonies presented so far. However, her seat remained empty as resource persons proceeded with presenting reports and evidence that lawmakers may use in evaluating the complaints.
House Committee on Justice Chair Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro opened the session with remarks criticizing Duterte’s repeated absence and her responses to the issues being raised in the impeachment process.
Luistro noted that instead of directly addressing the allegations, the Vice President has reportedly focused on defending her academic background and other unrelated matters.
Luistro stressed that the committee’s mandate will continue regardless of Duterte’s absence, saying the “empty chair” in front of lawmakers has become a recurring sight but does not stop the inquiry.
“The chair right in front of us, it remains empty. At tila sanay na po tayo sa tanawing iyan. Even if that chair remains empty, this room is full of the people's questions. Napakaraming tanong, mga tanong na sa kabila ng pag-iwas ay hindi mawawala. Sa kabila ng pananahimik, hindi maglalaho,” she said.
“Mga tanong na kailanman ay hindi kayang takasan ng bakanteng upuan. Not today, not anymore,“ Luistro added.
The House Committee on Justice chairman said, “Sa totoo lang, na-ghost na nga tayo, tila ginagaslight pa tayo. Ang mas mahalagang tanong, ay kung nasaan ang pera, ngunit ang sagot sa atin ay tungkol sa grado sa kolehiyo. “
She also underscored that the truth, in the committee’s view, will be determined through documents and sworn testimonies rather than statements or press releases.
“Ang katotohanan ay hindi matatagpuan sa press release. Ito ay nakasandal sa mga dokumento at sa mga salaysay na sinumpaan,” Luistro added.
Luistro emphasized the importance of the panel’s inquiry into the financial records of Duterte in connection with unexplained wealth allegations, saying numbers tell the truth and have no ulterior motive.
The committee has scheduled hearings this month on April 29, as it continues to assess evidence and determine whether the impeachment complaints have sufficient basis to proceed further.
