The Senate impeachment court confirmed on Wednesday that the proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte will continue, regardless of whether she responds to the writ of summons served for her trial. This clarification came from Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol reiterated that the trial will not be delayed even if Duterte fails to file an official answer.
According to Tongol, “Nakalagay sa Senate impeachment rules na magpapatuloy pa rin po ang impeachment process kahit na hindi sumagot, hindi mag-file ng answer.” He explained that under the Senate’s rules, if the respondent does not submit a defense, the prosecution may still present its evidence, while the respondent is considered to have waived her right to file a reply.
Vice President Duterte was given a non-extendible 10-day period starting June 11 to respond to the articles of impeachment. Since June 21 falls on a Saturday, her camp has until Monday, June 23, to comply with the deadline. The summons was officially served by the Senate sergeant-at-arms to Duterte’s office in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday morning last week. The Office of the Vice President (OVP) acknowledged receipt of the documents shortly afterward.
Despite this, Duterte revealed during a June 16 press conference in Davao City that she had not read the summons herself. “Hindi ko pa kasi alam kung kinakailangan ang personal appearance. ‘Yun ang hindi ko alam dahil hindi ko nabasa ‘yung summons. ‘Yung summons namin ay nandoon sa mga abogado at sila ‘yung magde-desisyon kung ano ‘yung gagawin doon sa summons,” she stated, leaving her legal team to handle the matter.
With the deadline fast approaching, all eyes are now on whether the Vice President’s camp will choose to respond or allow the impeachment trial to proceed in her absence. The impeachment charges against Duterte, while not yet fully detailed to the public, have generated significant political attention and could set a precedent for future high-profile trials.
Tongol reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to due process and transparency, adding that the impeachment court is prepared to move forward with or without the Vice President’s formal participation.