Vice President Sara Z. Duterte on Monday asked the Senate impeachment court to dismiss the verified impeachment complaint against her for alleged violation of the one-year bar rule under the 1987 Constitution.
A messenger from the law firm Fortun Narvasa & Salazar arrived at the office of Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr., who also serves as clerk of court of the impeachment court, at 5:49 p.m. carrying copies of her 35-page answer “ad cautelam” (with caution).
“Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, by counsel, without waiving any jurisdictional and/or other objections she has to this case and the Fourth Impeachment Complaint, respectfully states: the fourth impeachment complaint must be dismissed because it is void ab initio for violating the One-Year Bar Rule under Section 3 (5) Article XI of the 1987 Constitution,” part of the reply read.
The House of Representatives also received a copy of Duterte’s answer, as confirmed by spokesperson lawyer Princess Abante.
There were initially three impeachment complaints filed by different groups and endorsed by various lawmakers against the Vice President for betrayal of public trust due to the alleged misuse of over PHP612 million in confidential funds.
However, these were not forwarded by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco to the Office of the Speaker, a requirement for the complaints to be scheduled for deliberation by the House Committee on Justice.
A fourth complaint was filed Feb. 5 and endorsed by over 200 lawmakers, more than the number of House members needed for the complaint to be sent directly to the Senate for trial as stated in the 1987 Constitution.
The charges include culpable violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
The impeachment complaint also cited her public admission of an alleged assassination plot against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez; alleged bribery of Education officials; unexplained wealth; failure to declare assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth; and supposed links to extrajudicial killings during the administration of her father, former president Rodrigo R. Duterte. (PNA)