Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Article (news)

Michael Poa

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s defense panel is on &quot;wait and see&quot; mode after the Supreme Court ruled the impeachment proceedings against her unconstitutional, saying they are ready to confront the allegations against her in other fora they may be raised.</p><p>Atty. Michael Poa, spokesperson for the defense team, told ABS-CBN News that they welcome the ruling for affirming their position against the impeachment complaint — the fourth filed and the one sent to the Senate for trial.</p><p>He acknowledged that the House may yet file a motion for reconsideration on court decision that the impeachment complaint violated a ban in the Constitution against initiating more than one proceeding against the same official in the same year.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/25/supreme-court-duterte-impeachment-articles-unconstitutional-1601"><strong>Supreme Court blocks VP Sara Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial<br/></strong></a></div><p>&quot;We will also oppose it if need be or at least give our comments on it,&quot; Poa said. </p><p>He added lawyers are also on stand by for how the Senate, which has convened into an impeachment court, will take the Supreme Court ruling.</p><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/amfuqIbYMrM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>Lawmakers have had different reactions to the Supreme Court&#x27;s ruling and, Poa said, &quot;we should respect each other&#x27;s opinion.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/25/house-vows-to-protect-independence-amid-sc-ruling-on-sara-impeachment-case-2042"><strong>House vows to protect independence amid SC ruling on Sara Duterte impeachment</strong></a></div><p>Sen. Bam Aquino said the trial should continue since the Senate has already convened as an impeachment court and acquired jurisdiction of the case against Duterte</p><p><strong></strong>Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who had been vocal about opposing impeachment from the start, warned that pushing through with it could lead to &quot;a contempt order from the Supreme Court and a possible constitutional crisis, not to mention a dangerous precedent, should we proceed with the impeachment trial in defiance of a unanimous en banc ruling of the High Court.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ALLEGATIONS BEFORE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES</strong></div><p>Still, Poa maintained that Vice President Duterte is ready to confront the allegations in other fora outside of the impeachment process.</p><p>Duterte faces charges at the Department of Justice over remarks about having President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez that she says were taken out of context.</p><p>The Office of the Ombudsman has also directed Duterte to respond to corruption allegations raised in a House committee report.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/27/sara-duterte-files-counter-affidavit-on-alleged-confidential-fund-misuse-1514"><strong>Sara Duterte files counter-affidavit at Ombudsman on alleged confidential fund misuse<br/></strong></a></div><p>&quot;Sabi nga namin dun sa aming statement kanina, we are always ready to respond to these allegations at the right time and before the proper forum.&quot;</p><p>He added the Commission on Audit findings on the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, which are part of the articles of impeachment, are not final and are subject to appeal.</p><p>&quot;Meron tayong petition for review na inihain sa commission proper ng Commission on Audit. So nakikita natin, doon natin sinasagot yung mga paratang or yung mga naging findings rather after this audit.&quot;</p><p>(We have a filed a petition for review before the Commission on Audit. So, you can see that we are answering the allegations — or the findings, rather — after this audit)</p><p>He said that if the COA affirms the Notice of Disallowance on Duterte&#x27;s spending, they can still go to the Supreme Court. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;IT&#x27;S ABOUT DUE PROCESS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Poa said that while the Duterte legal team has been ready to face allegations, it still had to raise issues of due process in the impeachment proceedings.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s the right to be heard for all of us. And that&#x27;s not just to protect the Vice President. The idea of due process is to protect every single Filipino,&quot; he said.</p><p>Duterte was impeached in February after a majority of the House signed a fourth impeachment complaint initiated by lawmakers.</p><p>That complaint came <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/8/wrap-the-impeachment-bids-vs-vp-sara-duterte-so-far-2037">months after activist and civil society groups filed complaints of their own</a>.</p><p>&quot;Hindi rin naman tayo dapat pumikit pag nakita natin may naging mga issues that are not constitutional or that go against the Constitution doon sa naging proseso. At yun lang naman po yung talagang dinulong natin sa Supreme Court. It is the process that was observed prior to the filing the fourth impeachment complaint,&quot; Poa said.</p><p>(We cannot close our eyes on constitutional issues, and that is what we brought to the Supreme Court)</p><p>Poa maintained that the impeachment process was abused in this case.</p><p>Supporters of impeachment have argued that the first three complaints had been filed but that proceedings had not been initiated yet when the fourth one was filed and eventually endorsed.</p><div><br/></div><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/yuQtZfEiY0Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte's defense panel is on "wait and see" mode after the Supreme Court ruled the impeachment proceedings against her unconstitutional, saying they are ready to confront the allegations against her in other fora they may be raised.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte's defense panel is on "wait and see" mode after the Supreme Court ruled the impeachment proceedings against her unconstitutional, saying they are ready to confront the allegations against her in other fora they may be raised.

VP Duterte lawyers on ‘wait and see’ mode after SC rules impeachment unconstitutional

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VP Duterte lawyers on ‘wait and see’ mode after SC rules impeachment unconstitutional

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 26, 2025 08:39 AM PHT

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Updated Jul 31, 2025 06:20 PM PHT

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Sara Duterte

Michael Poa

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