Former President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged to assist his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, as she faces a series of legal challenges next year, including three impeachment complaints.
The Vice President confirmed that while she declined financial assistance from her father, she welcomed his involvement as a collaborating counsel for her legal defense team.
“He said, since I won’t accept the money, he would lawyer for me. So he said he would be a collaborating counsel for all cases,” Vice President Duterte said during a family gift-giving event in Bangkal, Davao City, on December 25.
The legal storm includes impeachment complaints citing alleged constitutional violations, misuse of confidential funds, and betrayal of public trust. The first complaint spans actions from her tenure as Davao City mayor in 2007 to her roles as Vice President and Education Secretary. The second, filed by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, focuses on her alleged non-cooperation with Congress and misuse of public funds. A third complaint, lodged by Catholic priests and lawyers, also accuses her of misusing confidential funds.
The Vice President has expressed confidence in her legal defense, maintaining she did not break any laws. However, she acknowledged concerns over the political dynamics of her cases, particularly in the House of Representatives, where the number of her allies is uncertain after clashes over her budget proposal.
Under the Philippine Constitution, impeachment complaints are filed in the House, where a one-third vote is needed to move a case to the Senate for trial. A two-thirds vote in the Senate is required for conviction. While the Vice President has some allies in the Senate, her support base remains unclear beyond key figures like Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Bong Go, Robin Padilla, and Imee Marcos.
Despite the challenges, Duterte emphasized her readiness to face the accusations, asserting, “There’s no rule of law now, but if there are cases, we will still face them.”
