No talks about VP Sara replacement amid impeachment trial --Palace

Thoughts of a possible replacement for Vice President Sara Duterte amid the ongoing impeachment trial is far from President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr's mind, according to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro.

"Hindi po naiisip ng Pangulo yan, sa totoo. Hindi po napaguusapan. Sa ngayon, kahit kami ay nag-memeeeting, hindi napaguusapan ang impeachment," Castro said in an interview on Unang Balita on Friday.

(The President doesn't actually think about that, to be honest. It’s not being discussed. Even when we hold meetings, impeachment is not brought up.)

"Ang nais lang po talaga niya ay due process," Castro added.

(All he really wants is due process.)

Previously, Malacañang also said that nobody will interfere with Duterte's decision to remain on her post amid her impeachment trial.

Duterte on Tuesday said she "will not resign, will never resign from the Office of the Vice President" amid her impeachment trial and the allegations against her.

"Kung hindi po siya magre-resign, desisyon niya po 'yan. Walang manghihimasok diyan. Pero ang pagsasabi niya na mag-resign ang Pangulo, 'yan ay malaking kalokohan," she added.

(If she chooses not to resign, that is her decision. No one will interfere with that. But for her to say that the President should resign, that is utter nonsense.)

Articles of impeachment

On Tuesday the House prosecution panel dropped three out of the four Articles of Impeachment leveled against Duterte, saying its case will stand on Article II alone on alleged unexplained wealth due to non-full declaration of assets and non-divestment of business.

Duterte's camp said the prosecution's withdrawal of three articles of impeachment os an admission that the allegations hurled against her lacked basis.

Duterte's camp has criticized the move of the prosecutors.

Castro, however, asked why the defense team did not object to the dropping of the articles.

"Ang pagbitiw sa articles of impeachment, hindi naman natin nakitaan ng objection yung defense team, nagbigay lang sila ng manifestation. But the team did not give any objection," said Castro.

(Regarding the withdrawal of the articles of impeachment, we did not see any objection from the defense team; they merely had a manifestation. But the team did not raise any objection.)

"So, parang wala naman dapat sisihin dito, kasi parang sinisisi nila ang prosecution, yung senador judges, poero kung babasahin mo lahat, mapapanood mo lahat ng hearing, wala tayong marririnig na objection, iba yung objection sa manifestation," she added.

(So, it seems there’s no one to blame here—though it appears they are blaming the prosecution and the senator-judges—but if you read everything and watch all the hearings, you won’t hear any objections; an objection is different from a manifestation.) —VAL, GMA News