Sara Duterte declines comment on impeachment trial: I might be cited in contempt

Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday declined to give any comment on the ongoing impeachment trial against her, saying she didn’t want to give her lawyers more problems if she is cited for contempt

Duterte balked at making any comment on the proceedings after two prosecutors were issued show-cause orders over comments they made regarding her trial.

“Mako-contempt ako sir, eh, kapag sumagot ako sa impeachment (I might be held in contempt if I talk about the impeachment),” Duterte said in an ambush interview.

“Masyado nang maraming problema ang mga abogado ko. Ayaw ko nang dagdagan yung kanilang problema with the contempt,” she added.

(My lawyers already have too many problems. I don’t want to add to their problems with the contempt.)

Duterte has yet to personally appear before the Senate impeachment court. She is represented by her defense team.

Her trial entered its 27th day this Monday, with the impeachment court tackling Article II, which accuses the Vice President of accumulating unexplained wealth.

The House prosecution panel has finished its presentation on Article I, which alleges misuse of confidential funds, as well as Article IV, which accuses her of making grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and others.

Receptive

Meanwhile, Michael Poa, the spokesperson of Duterte's defense team, said that he is always in constant communication with the vice president regarding statements on the trial.

"Hindi ko naman ide-deny na nagkaroon ng paguusap between myself and the vice president....Very receptive naman po ang ating vice president," he said in a press briefing.

(I won't deny that there were conversations between the Vice President and me.... Our Vice President is actually very receptive.)

"May mga bagay naman kaming napag-usapan na 'Kung sasabihin mo ito, palagay ko this will be covered by sub judice,' at 'Kung sasabihin mo man 'yung ibang bagay, I don't think naman sub judice 'yan.' So may mga ganyan kaming pag-uusap," Poa added.

(There were things we discussed like, 'If you say this, I think this will be covered by sub judice', and 'If you say other things, I don't think that's sub judice.' So we had those kinds of discussions.) –NB, GMA News