Luistro: VP Sara camp misses chance to answer impeachment allegations

By Zaldy De Layola, Philippine News Agency

Vice President Sara Duterte (Inday Sara Duterte/facebook)

MANILA – House Committee on Justice chairperson Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro on Tuesday said Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp missed a crucial opportunity to directly address the allegations against her, as impeachment proceedings move forward in the House of Representatives.

According to Luistro, the Vice President was given the chance to respond to the charges laid out in the complaints, but her camp failed to tackle the accusations point by point.

“That is why we are giving opportunity to the Vice President, our respondent, to respond doon sa mga offenses at sa mga grounds na incorporate doon sa dalawang complaints (to the offenses and to the grounds incorporated in the two impeachment complaints,” Luistro said in a press briefing.

“Actually sayang. Sayang ang opportunity na sana na-address lahat ng mga alleged offenses and grounds sapagkat ito ‘yung matagal nang hinihintay ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino, ang kasagutan sa mga allegations laban sa ating Bise Presidente (Actually what a waste. What a wasted opportunity that the alleged offenses and grounds should have been addressed because this is what the Filipinos have long been waiting for, the answer to the allegations against the Vice President),” she added.

The lawmaker from the Second District of Batangas maintained that the House panel had already established the sufficiency of the complaints in earlier deliberations, stressing that the proceedings were grounded on rules and supported by the judgment of the committee members.

She also said the panel would proceed with its work, including discussions on preliminary matters, as it prepares for the next stage of the impeachment process.

Meanwhile, the House Committee on Justice categorically denied the claims of double standards in the handling of impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte.

Luistro said the differing outcomes in the two cases were “based on the presence or absence of personal participation, a key element in establishing liability.”

“I don’t think so,” Luistro said when asked about alleged disparity in standards.

“That is necessary for us to be able to establish the factual nexus, ‘yung (that) connection between the offense and the ground which is present doon sa (there in the) impeachment complaint against the Vice President,” she said.

Luistro noted that in the case against the President, complainants “failed to show the personal participation,” while in the complaint against the Vice President, such participation was evident.

She added that the committee’s determination of sufficiency in form and substance was backed by a 54-1 vote, reflecting what she described as the “exclusive judgment” of its members.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said Duterte continues to stonewall the allegations against her, noting that the answer she submitted fails to directly address the impeachment complaints and instead relies on technicalities.

“The Vice President continues to stonewall the allegations against her. This is not an answer at all. Instead of addressing the charges head-on, she chose to hide behind technicalities,” Ortega, endorser of the 4th impeachment complaint, said in a statement.

According to Ortega, the Vice President’s Consolidated Answer Ad Cautelam raises more questions than answers, as it does not squarely address the material allegations cited in the complaints.

He also rejected claims by the Vice President’s lawyers that the Supreme Court (SC) ruling had cleared her, emphasizing that the high tribunal only ruled on procedural issues.

“They have to read both the Supreme Court decision and the resolution again. The ruling did not junk the 2025 impeachment on substantive grounds, but only on procedural matters,” Ortega said.

“In fact, the Supreme Court itself said that its ruling did not absolve the Vice President. That should be clear to everyone.”

The Deputy Speaker stressed that impeachment is a constitutional mechanism meant to determine accountability, not a process that can be avoided through legal technicalities.

“Accountability cannot be stonewalled. The Filipino people deserve clear, direct answers – not legal maneuvering that avoids the truth,” Ortega said.