Sara Duterte’s continued absence from Senate impeach trial slammed

MANILA, Philippines — House prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers on Sunday criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s continued absence from her own Senate impeachment trial, stating that it raises questions about her commitment to and respect for the constitutional process.

The former Surigao del Norte representative and governor made the pronouncement as he pointed out the contradiction between Duterte’s previous assurances that she would face complaints and investigations in the “proper forum” and her refusal to appear before the Senate impeachment court.

READ: Prosecutors: Court should call out VP Duterte’s ‘bending the law’ quip

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“The Vice President repeatedly said she would face the issues against her and let the proper forum decide. Apparently, when the proper forum finally arrived, she decided she had other plans,” Barbers said.

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“The Senate impeachment court is not a courtroom one can attend only when convenient. You cannot say you respect due process and then practice selective attendance when the process is no longer to your liking,” he added.

Barbers then noted Duterte’s camp had previously questioned the credibility of executive investigations and House proceedings, citing alleged bias.

However, Barbers explained that the impeachment trial is a “constitutionally mandated proceeding” conducted publicly before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.

“If every forum is ‘biased’ simply because it asks difficult questions, then perhaps the only acceptable forum is one where nobody asks any questions,” Barbers said.

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“Unfortunately, the Constitution did not create that kind of forum,” he added.

According to Barbers, Duterte choosing to remain absent does not make the evidence “stay away,” particularly allegations involving threats against top government officials, the handling of confidential funds, and alleged unexplained or ill-gotten wealth.

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He then warned that allowing a high-ranking official to simply disregard a constitutional proceeding because it is politically inconvenient could weaken the country’s system of checks and balances.

“Public office is a public trust, not a VIP pass to skip accountability,” Barbers said.

“The Vice President does not have to like the questions, but she has a constitutional duty to respect the institution asking them,” he said.

Barbers then called on Duterte to end what he described as an “evasive posture” and appear before the Senate impeachment court, saying accountability cannot be replaced by statements from lawyers, allies or spokespersons.

“The proper forum is already here, the Senate is already in session, and the Filipino people are watching. All that seems to be missing is the Vice President,” he said.

‘Double standard’

Meanwhile, former government officials during the administration of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, in a separate statement, slammed the supposed “double standard” in tackling the allegations against Duterte, particularly her office’s use of P125 million in confidential funds.

In the statement, former Akbayan party-list Rep. Barry Gutierrez pointed out that the defenses being raised around Duterte’s confidential-fund spending appeared to carve out a standard unavailable to ordinary government employees.

“Pero, du’n sa usapin lang nu’ng ano, nu’ng paggastos ng hindi authorized, ang naaasar ako d’yan, parang nagka-carve out na naman ng exception para kay VP Sara Duterte,” Gutierrez said.

(The issue of unauthorized spending annoys me; it seems like they’ve carved out an exception for VP Sara Duterte again.)

This, according to Gutierrez, rank-and-file government employees have been removed from office or prosecuted for conduct involving far less amount of public money.

Meanwhile, former deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte illustrated the disparity through the example of an ordinary messenger entrusted with P200 for gasoline and parking but who instead spends the money on food.

“‘Yung ordinaryong manggagawang Pilipino, messenger, ‘di ba, binigyan niyo ng 200, kasi oh, panggas mo, dahil may iuutos ako sa’yo, tapos pang-parking mo, tapos hindi niya ginawa, pinang-meryenda niya,” Valte said.

(An ordinary Filipino worker, say a messenger right, you gave him 200 for his gas and parking, but he used it instead for food.)

“’Di ba yung ganuon sa ordinaryong kumpanya, masisisante ’yung messenger na ’yun eh,” she added.

(Isn’t that what happens in an ordinary company, that messenger would be fired?)

She even recalled a case involving a restaurant dishwasher accused of taking a P19.50 bottle of salt and pepper, who lost his job and was jailed after being charged with qualified theft.

“’Yun lang. Para doon. ’Di ba, nasisante siya, nawalan siya ng trabaho, tapos nakulong pa siya,” Valte said.

(That’s it. Right? He got fired, he lost his job, and then he went to jail.)

“Pero dito, sa 125 million pesos, bakit natin ginagawan ng excuse? (But here, with 125 million pesos, why are we making excuses?)” Valte asked.

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Gutierrez and Valte even stressed that Duterte is not even facing imprisonment in the impeachment proceedings, stressing that the accountability being demanded of the Vice President is less severe than what ordinary Filipinos can face for mishandling vastly smaller amounts. /cb