Daven Tamayo

Scrap of paper? Corona defense lawyer breaks down VP Sara answer to impeach complaint

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

A defense lawyer in the impeachment trial of the late chief justice Renato Corona on Thursday explained parts of Vice President Sara Duterte’s <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/24/sara-duterte-calls-impeachment-case-scrap-of-paper-pleads-not-guilty-2321">Answer Ad Cautelam</a> to the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives.In her Answer Ad Cautelam, Duterte said the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives violated the Constitutional provision, which prohibits more than one impeachment complaint to be initiated against an impeachable official within a period of one yearSpeaking to DZMM, lawyer Tranquil Salvador III said the defense is seeking to throw out the complaint by questioning the jurisdiction and the nullity of the proceedings. “Ordinarily, sa hukuman, ‘yan ang una mong haharapin. San ba tayo pupunta, gagamitin judicial resources, [magtatawag ng] witnesses, papagurin natin lahat, pero wala pala jurisdiction? ‘Yan ang sinasabi nila,” he said.Duterte’s camp also said the allegation in the first article of impeachment, that the Vice President contacted an assassin to plot the killing of the President, the First Lady. and the House Speaker “rely heavily on conclusions derived by the 19th HOR from an online broadcast”, and “does not offer any proof” that the Vice President entered into a contract to kill.It added there are “no statements of ultimate facts” in the impeachment complaint, calling it “nothing more than a scrap of paper”, and a “clear abuse of the impeachment process”.Salvador said the defense was pointing out that making allegations is easy but it should be backed up by judicial affidavits, documents and object evidence.“Hindi sapat na magbato ka lamang. ‘Yun ang sinasabi ng abogado,” he said.Salvador said Senate President Francis Escudero’s statement that senators can vote  on whether or not to dismiss the impeachment complaint even without a trial can be questioned before the Supreme Court.“Pwedeng i-test ‘yan. Pwedeng sabihin, ‘Grabe naman ‘yun. That’s grave abuse of discretion. Under Article 8 of the Constitution, ku-kwestiyonin na kita sa Supreme Court. Hindi niyo pwedeng gawin ‘yun.’ Pwede nilang gawin yun kaya lang nangyari na,” he said.“Under the ordinary rules, wala pong dahilan para magtuloy tayo on a jurisdictional matter kung ‘yung proseso null and void. Kung ‘yung ugat ng pinakasuhan mo ay talagang walang kinatatayuan, bakit pa tayo magpo-proceed? ‘Yun ang sinasabi nila.”Salvador said one act that complicated the impeachment proceedings was when the Senate remanded the impeachment complaint to the House of Representatives, saying the Lower House should certify that the complaint was in order, and then sending a summons to the Vice President.He pointed out that remanding or returning a complaint that was already submitted by the House of Representatives is not in the Senate rules.“Wala naman talagang remand o return. Sa Senate rules, wala. Hindi mo makikita,” he said. The Ombudsman’s investigation against the Vice President also complicates the proceedings since the Ombudsman cannot remove or censure impeachable officials.Salvador, however, said that if the Ombudsman find serious misconduct, “that can be used as basis for a verified complaint.”

A defense lawyer in the impeachment trial of the late chief justice Renato Corona on Thursday explained parts of Vice President Sara Duterte’s <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/24/sara-duterte-calls-impeachment-case-scrap-of-paper-pleads-not-guilty-2321">Answer Ad Cautelam</a> to the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives.

A defense lawyer in the impeachment trial of the late chief justice Renato Corona on Thursday explained parts of Vice President Sara Duterte’s Answer Ad Cautelam to the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives.