Grave threats charge up first in Sara Duterte's impeachment trial
MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution team said it will first tackle the grave threats allegation against Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial because it is the least complicated charge to prove.
At a press conference before the opening of the impeachment proceedings on Monday, July 6, House prosecution legal spokesperson Benjamin Tolosa said prosecutors would not need to present many witnesses to establish the allegation.
"'Yan ang charges sa articles of impeachment na pinakamadaling masundan. Hindi lang ng impeachment court, pati na rin ng mga kababayan natin," Tolosa said.
(Those are the charges in the articles of impeachment that are easiest to follow, not only for the impeachment court, but also for our fellow Filipinos.)
"'Yung factual issues dito kaunti, less complicated compared to the other financial-related articles of impeachment. Mas madali ito," he added.
(The factual issues here are few and less complicated compared with the other financial-related articles of impeachment. This is easier.)
Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said the issue is whether Duterte remains fit to continue serving as vice president, citing her behavior and her statements that he said undermine the rule of law.
"Ang pinag-uusapan po natin if she's fitting to continue on as vice president based on behavior and her propensity to say things that undermine the rule of law, the principle that no one should take justice into their own hands," Adiong said.
(What we are talking about is whether she is fit to continue as vice president, based on behavior and her tendency to say things that undermine the rule of law, including the principle that no one should take justice into their own hands.)
The House prosecution team was referring to Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which covers alleged grave threats, an assassination plot and inciting to sedition against the government.
The article stems from Duterte's remarks during a Zoom press conference in November 2024, where she said she had hired an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if something bad happened to her.
The House prosecution team is expected to tackle Article IV over 11 trial days.
Duterte has denied wrongdoing.
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