The withdrawal of three impeachment articles against Vice President Sara Duterte shows that the allegations against her lacked basis from the outset, her spokesperson Salvador Paolo A. Panelo Jr. claimed Wednesday.
The House prosecution panel on Tuesday withdrew Articles I, III and IV of the impeachment complaint against Duterte, leaving only Article II, which accuses her of unexplained wealth, for the Senate impeachment court to hear.
“The withdrawal is an admission that the allegations lacked basis from the very beginning,” Panelo said in a statement.
The prosecution had already presented evidence on the confidential funds and grave threats articles before abandoning them. The bribery article was withdrawn before the prosecution presented evidence on it.
Under the court’s ruling, the defense will no longer be required to present evidence against the three withdrawn articles, depriving Duterte of the opportunity to formally rebut the prosecution’s evidence on those allegations in the impeachment proceedings.
Panelo, however, argued that the withdrawal not only called into question the basis of the allegations but also deprived Duterte of the opportunity to challenge them before the Senate impeachment court.
“Yet, it is also an injustice and a denial of due process because it deprives the Vice President of the opportunity to confront these charges and present countervailing evidence in the proper forum, which is the Senate Impeachment Court,” he said.
“More than that, it deprived her of the vindication of the acquittal she deserves if the Court ruled only on the basis of evidence and law,” Panelo added.
Panelo also questioned the resources spent on the abandoned charges, claiming that 20 trial days devoted to the confidential funds and grave threats articles cost taxpayers about P500 million, based on an estimated Senate operating cost of P25 million per day.
He estimated that the total public expense, including the House proceedings and other costs, could exceed P1 billion. The figures were his estimates and were not accompanied by a detailed accounting.
The prosecution has said it will focus on the remaining unexplained wealth article. Duterte has denied wrongdoing. An impeachment conviction could remove her from office and disqualify her from holding public office.
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