Sara Duterte on impeachment complaints: 'An inconvenience but a way to answer accusations'

Vice President Sara Duterte responded on Thursday to the third impeachment complaint that could be filed by religious groups next week.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro earlier said that a group of religious people will file an impeachment case against Duterte next week, but did not give further details.

Duterte, for her part, said the impeachment complaints may be an inconvenience, but it would be a way to answer the accusations against her.

"I believe, para sa akin lang ha, posisyon ko lang ito. Of course, hindi ganito ang sentimyento ng lahat ng taga-Office of the Vice President, at ibang supporters. Para sa akin, pag may impeachment complaint, that would be a way or avenue na maayos kong masagot kung ano man yung accusations sa akin dahil mayroon kasing rules ang impeachment," she said in a media interview in Davao City.

"Nalalatag ng maayos yung accusations at yung sagot ng tao. It is an inconvenience, dahil siyempre pag mayroong impeachment complaint, mayroong mga lawyers at mayroong support staff na kailangan i-hire, at kailangan bayaran ang professional fees. But otherwise, sa tingin ko naman, okay ito kasi nakakasagot ng maayos sa accusation," she added.

The vice president is currently facing two impeachment complaints, which were endorsed by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña, and the second was backed by Makabayan bloc lawmakers.

Among the impeachable offenses cited in the complaints is betrayal of public trust after Duterte allegedly committed gross abuse of discretionary powers" over the P612.5 million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.

Meanwhile, Duterte said that her lawyers are on standby once they receive the articles of impeachment.

She has not divulged the names of the lawyers who will handle the impeachment complaints.

"Ang arrangement kasi with the lawyers is that, maga-activate lang yung pag-onboard nila once na matanggap ko na yung articles of impeachment. So, hindi ko pa siya natatanggap, hindi pa ako binibigyan officially ng copy noon," she said.

"So wala pang official professional arrangements with the lawyers, pero on standby sila. Hindi ko na lang pangalanan, but in the coming days, kung ano man yung mangyari, malalaman din natin kung sino sila," she added.

Duterte earlier said that her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, has offered to shoulder the cost of hiring several lawyers for impeachment cases that have been filed against her.