Camille Naredo

Vice President Sara Duterte graces the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 50th Philippine Business Conference and Expo in Pasay City on October 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Vice President Sara Duterte graces the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 50th Philippine Business Conference and Expo in Pasay City on October 22, 2024. Vice President Duterte has faced various reactions following her statements about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family during an October 18 press briefing.
Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Sara Duterte @ PCCI Expo

Dennis Gasgonia

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173245593905420241022-sara-duterte-pcci-MD-9.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Vice President Sara Duterte graces the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry&#x27;s 50th Philippine Business Conference and Expo in Pasay City on October 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte graces the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry&#x27;s 50th Philippine Business Conference and Expo in Pasay City on October 22, 2024. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Instead of pursuing an impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, it would be more appropriate to mount an investigation on her potential criminal liabilities, a political analyst said on Sunday.</p><p>Atty. Michael Yusingco, an independent policy analyst and constitutionalist, told Teleradyo Serbisyo that the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte should be formally investigated by the Ombudsman in relation to her confidential funds.</p><p>“’Yung potential misuse of confidential funds… Meron nang ebidensya, ‘yung COA (Commission on Audit) disavowal, that’s evidence enough for the Ombudsman for investigation. Potentially plunder ito e,” explained Yusingco.</p><p>“We’re talking about millions e. So, hindi Ito parang drop in the bucket type of corruption, potentially it could be corruption in a grand scale.”</p><p>Then there is also Duterte’s profanity-laced outburst where she threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez assassinated.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/23/vp-duterte-lashes-out-at-marcoses-romualdez-1720">P*t*ng *n* ninyong lahat!&#x27;: Sara Duterte lashes out at Marcoses, Romualdez</a></div><p>“‘Yung threatening ‘yung President’s life, si First Lady and Speaker, whether hyperbole ‘yun or in the heat of the moment, it still needs to be investigated by the DOJ, by the police,” said Yusingco. “If it warrants criminal indictment then that should be pursued. Ang Vice President is not immune from suit e.”</p><p>The Vice President lashed out at Marcos Jr., Liza Marcos, and Romualdez in an expletive-filled press conference early morning on Saturday.</p><p>This was after the House of Representatives ordered her chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, to be transferred to the Women&#x27;s Correctional Institution in Mandaluyong City. Lopez, her chief of staff, had been detained over a contempt citation &quot;for undue interference&quot; in the House panel&#x27;s proceedings looking into the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and by the Department of Education.</p><p>Duterte acted as Lopez&#x27;s lawyer to block the latter&#x27;s transfer to the women&#x27;s correctional.</p><p>“The Vice President cannot lawyer for anybody,” said Yusingco. “Mali rin ang ginagwa ni Vice President na sumugod siya doon and force herself.”</p><p>“(The House) is a state institution that needs to be respected. You have to follow their protocols, more so pag Vice President ka. You have respect the separation of powers. ‘Di ka lang papasok ng basta-basta. Then expect mo na just because your Vice President everything will stop for you.”</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/23/marcos-family-s-security-strengthened-after-sara-duterte-s-kill-threat-1826">READ: Marcos family&#x27;s security strengthened after Sara Duterte’s kill threat</a></div><div><strong>IMPEACHMENT?</strong></div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABQ1PcXP7dCsjYad&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script></div><p>But Yusingco does not favor having the Vice President undergo an impeachment process.</p><p>“Kung impeachment, doon medyo preno tayo. It’s a partisan process ... A very divisive process. Sa bandang huli anong makukuha doon? Matatanggal siya sa pwesto, madi-disqualify to run for future offices. Hindi naman siya magiging accountable sa kanyang mga ginawang mali,” said the policy expert.</p><p>“They need to file criminal and administrative cases, kung sakali. Why prolong the process? Dumeretso na tayo sa criminal and administrative, kasi kasama din naman dun ang disqualification e.”</p><p>“As Vice President, she’s just a spare tire. Why remove from office? Ang gusto natin mangyari ay kung may dapat panagutan,” added Yusingco.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/24/vp-duterte-s-alleged-plot-against-marcos-a-serious-crime-house-leaders-1606">READ: VP Sara Duterte&#x27;s alleged plot against Marcos a &#x27;serious crime&#x27; — House leaders</a></div><div><strong>UNLAWFUL ACTS BY HOUSE </strong></div><p>But Yusingco said the lower chamber should also be questioned for several unlawful acts regarding their investigation on Duterte’s confidential funds.</p><p>“Unang una ‘yung detention niya (Lopez) based on contempt order. Ang Congress ay may contempt power but is not the same as the contempt power of judiciary. It is linked only to their inquiry on aid of legislation,” he said.</p><p>“Halimbawa, ‘di pinansın ang imbitasyon, ayaw magprovide ng sagot sa mga papeles, o nanggugulo sa hearing. Pero none of those conditions are present in this instance. Tinatanong ang resource person, sumasagot naman siya. Ang problema ‘di nagugustuhan ang sagot kaya nacontempt.”</p><p>The analyst also found it wrong to have Lopez transferred to a facility governed by the executive branch.</p><p>“‘Yung ipapakulong siya sa correctional. That is part of the executive branch, being managed by BJMP. D’yan nilalagay ang mga kriminal. Congress has no jurisdiction over correctional facilities. They cannot put resource personnel sa kulungan ng kriminal, they have no jurisdiction over there,” he said.</p><p>Even the use of police operatives to serve the memorandum to Lopez was questionable, said Yusingco.</p><p>“Our police has no business doing the work for Congress. Ang PNP is part of executive branch. Anong ginagawa na sila ang nagseserve ng memo sa resource person?”</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLcjP5LBRcw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>Instead of pursuing an impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, it would be more appropriate to mount an investigation on her potential criminal liabilities, a political analyst said on Sunday.</p>

Instead of pursuing an impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, it would be more appropriate to mount an investigation on her potential criminal liabilities, a political analyst said on Sunday.

Instead of getting impeached, VP Sara Duterte should be probed for plunder, death threat, says analyst

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Instead of getting impeached, VP Sara Duterte should be probed for plunder, death threat, says analyst

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 24, 2024 10:40 PM PHT

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Updated November 25, 2024 01:23 AM PHT

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Sara Duterte

Impeachment

Teleradyo Serbisyo

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Zuleika Lopez

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