No impeachment trial if VP Sara addressed allegations, provided evidence --Palace

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Malacañang on Tuesday said that if Vice President Sara Duterte answered allegations against her "clearly," then perhaps there would be no impeachment trial.

“Siguro kung magaling siya mag-explain sa mga tinuturo sa kanya, baka hindi na tayo nakarating sa impeachment court, dahil kung mayroon siyang maliwanag sa ebidensya na masabing wala siyang anumang bahid ng kasalanan, wala siguro tayong impeachment na pinag-uusapan ngayon,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.

(Perhaps if she was good at explaining what was thrown at her, we would not reach the impeachment court, because if she had clear evidence saying that she did not have a trace of sin, we would not be talking about an impeachment now.)

Castro's statement comes hours after Duterte conducted a press conference denying the allegations of dismissed cop and alleged aid of former House speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., who accused her of accepting suitcases of cash.

During the presser, Duterte claimed that it was President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s and his administration as those behind the allegations against her.

“Administrasyon. Sino ang nasa likod ng paninira sa akin? Administrasyon. Ang Palasyo, si BBM,” Duterte said in a press briefing.

(The administration. Who is behind the smear campaign against me? The administration. The Palace, BBM.)

“Makikita ninyo naman ‘yung mga declarations, mga statements ng Office of the President, eh. Nandyan pa ‘yung impeachment nila,” she added.

(You can see the declarations, the statements of the Office of the President. There is also the impeachment trial against me.)

Duterte has denied Gracioso's allegations and said that she will submit her affidavit on Thursday.

Castro, meanwhile, says Duterte's camp has yet to provide evidence to counter Gracioso's claims.

“Wala pa talagang binibigay na konkretong ebidensya na na walang natanggap. So ibig sabihin nito, kung may natanggap man sila na pera, hindi ang Pangulo ang nakinabang dito, hindi ang kasalukuyang administrasyon ang nagpasa sa mga pondong hindi umano tinanggap nila,” Castro said.

(There has been no concrete evidence given that they received nothing. So that means if they did receive something, the president did not benefit from this, and it is not the present administration to pass this budget that they supposedly received.)

Asked about Duterte’s comment saying that her brother, Davao Mayor Sebastian Duterte, would run for a national position, Castro said that she should focus on working first.

“Trabaho muna para sa mga kababayan natin ang unahin hindi puro pangangampanya para mai-angat ang mga sarili,” Castro said.

(Work first for the citizens, not campaigning to uplift yourself.)

Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Panelo Jr. called Castro’s statements “ironic.”

“Sino ba ang walang inatupag kung hindi political persecution at political consolidation? Sino ba ang namamahala sa bagsak nating ekonomiya? ” Panelo said.

(Who has not done anything but political persecution and political consolidation? Who is responsible for the failing of our economy?) —VAL, GMA News