Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte holds a press conference,  February 7, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

20250207-sara duterte-impeachment-presscon

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177025524628920250214-vp-sara-duterte-presscon-impeachment-MT-7 (2).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte holds a press conference,  February 7, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The spokesman of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense team clarified Thursday that reports claiming that the infamous “Mary Grace Piattos” will be presented as part of her defense should an impeachment trial push through were “inaccurate”. </p><p>“Some media reports and social media posts have circulated indicating that the person referred to as ‘Mary Grace Piattos’ will be presented as part of the defense of Vice President Sara Duterte. For clarity, this is inaccurate,” Attorney Michael Poa said in a statement. </p><p>“I have not made any such statement, nor have I confirmed or announced any such course of action,” he added.</p><p>“We respectfully appeal to our colleagues in the media to avoid attributing statements or positions that were never made, in the interest of a fair public discussion,” Poa said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/2/-today-is-the-day-makabayan-to-refile-impeach-complaint-vs-sara-duterte-0752">&#x27;Today is the day&#x27;: 2 new impeachment complaints filed vs Sara Duterte</a></div><p>The name “Mary Grace Piattos”, one of the alleged beneficiaries of the confidential funds, was earlier flagged by lawmakers, with the Philippine Statistics Authority confirming the person does not exist, having no birth, marriage or death certificates. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/21/palace-probe-on-sara-futerte-s-confidential-funds-up-to-ombudsman-1215">Palace: Probe on Sara Duterte’s confidential funds up to Ombudsman</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/27/sara-duterte-files-counter-affidavit-on-alleged-confidential-fund-misuse-1514">Sara Duterte files counter-affidavit at Ombudsman on alleged confidential fund misuse</a></div><p>The Vice President&#x27;s camp previously said the name could be a pseudonym.</p><p>In an interview with DZMM Tuesday, Poa said the Vice President had long maintained that she was ready to talk about confidential activities of the Office of the Vice-President and the Department of Education in the appropriate forum.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/10/vp-sara-camp-taps-intel-experts-to-explain-confidential-funds-issue-if-trial-proceeds-0835">VP Sara camp taps intel experts to explain confidential funds issue if trial proceeds</a></div><div><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L1azpWBRP4Q" title="Sara Duterte faces two fresh impeachment complaints | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The spokesman of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense team clarified Thursday that reports claiming that the infamous “Mary Grace Piattos” will be presented as part of her defense should an impeachment trial push through were “inaccurate”. </p>

The spokesman of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense team clarified Thursday that reports claiming that the infamous “Mary Grace Piattos” will be presented as part of her defense should an impeachment trial push through were “inaccurate”.

Reports saying ‘Mary Grace Piattos’ to be presented as part of Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense ‘inaccurate’ – Poa

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Reports saying ‘Mary Grace Piattos’ to be presented as part of Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense ‘inaccurate’ – Poa

Jamaine Punzalan

Published Feb 05, 2026 09:45 AM PHT

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Sara Duterte

Michael Poa

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