Chua dares Duterte defense team: Seek impeachment case dismissal

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Rep. Joel Chua on Sunday challenged Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team to file a formal motion to dismiss the impeachment case against her if it considers the case against her flawed.

In a statement, Chua, an impeachment prosecutor, said the vice president’s counsel in her impeachment trial should challenge the charges “if they truly believe our evidence is weak.”

“File a demurrer to evidence and let the court decide,” he said.

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Under criminal procedure rules, a demurrer to evidence permits an accused party to seek an early dismissal if the prosecution’s evidence proves insufficient before defense proceedings begin, according to Chua, referring to Rule 119, Sec. 23 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure. 

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Chua’s remarks come as the prosecution team is set to conclude its case next week, anchoring their final push on expert testimony from lawyer Alexander Cabrera, who estimated that Vice President Sara Duterte and her spouse concealed about P817.8 million pesos in undeclared assets and income from 2022 to 2025. 

READ: From Donki to Nike: Analyst says VP had ‘unusual’ purchases in 2025

“The prosecution’s presentation of evidence for unexplained wealth will end with Atty. Alex Cabrera,” Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, chief impeachment prosecutor, told a media briefing over the weekend, based on a statement released Sunday.

Prosecutors were initially set to present four charges in their impeachment case against the vice president, though they opted to streamline their offer of proof for the trial by dropping the claim that Duterte oversaw cash bribes to Department of Education procurement officials through her subordinates.

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“The evidence is already before the court. The defense now has every opportunity to challenge it,” Chua said. “We are ready to defend what we have presented.”

In the 15 weeks of Senate proceedings, prosecutors submitted testimony and financial records to support the allegations that Duterte misused secret funds, concealed her true net worth, and threatened the safety of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., the First Lady and a former House speaker. /mr