Vice President Sara Duterte pushed back on Thursday, Aug. 6, against the notion that recent events surrounding Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa were engineered to throw her impeachment trial into disarray, arguing that the proceedings were already compromised long before any such development.
Speaking to reporters in Davao City after joining the Thanksgiving Mass for the Kadayawan Festival at San Pedro Cathedral, she rejected the premise that anyone would need to manufacture chaos around a process she considers fundamentally flawed.
“Hindi na kailangan guluhin ang impeachment dahil magulo na siya sa bending the law,” she said, insisting the case had been tainted from the start.
She traced what she called legal irregularities back to the House of Representatives, extending to the way the Senate proceedings themselves were being conducted. “Napaka-klaro naman yung bending the law diyan sa impeachment na ‘yan, simula pa sa House of Representatives, hanggang sa pagkakaroon ng dalawang tao na nakaupo doon sa ano bang tawag diyan?” she said, referring to the arrangement on the Senate rostrum.
Pressed on whether Dela Rosa’s reported arrest was designed to sow confusion in the trial, she was dismissive. “I don’t think kailangan guluhin ang impeachment,” she said.
The Vice President also framed the situation as part of a broader campaign she believes the Marcos administration is waging against its political opponents. She claimed those who break from Malacañang face a consistent fate. “Pinagkakaabalahan nila ay pulitika dahil nakikita natin na may pattern na hindi lang si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, hindi lang ako, kundi lahat ng hindi sumunod sa Palasyo kay President Marcos ay hinahabol, tinitira, kinakasuhan, hina-harass, tini-threaten,” she said.
By her account, the government’s energy is being channeled into political matters. “Well, it shows kung ano yung pinagkakaabalahan ng administrasyon ngayon, ng gobyerno ngayon,” she said.
Duterte disclosed that she had been warned of fresh legal complaints in the pipeline, though she said the prospect no longer catches her off guard. “Narinig namin na may inihahandang pagsasampa ng mga kaso,” she said, adding, “Hindi na siguro ito nakapagtataka, batay sa napakarami na nilang isinampang kaso.”
She said her lawyers were bracing for whatever comes next. “Naghahanda na rin ang mga abogado para sa panahong may bago na namang kasong isasampa,” she said, characterizing the anticipated filings as aimed at anyone unwilling to fall in line with the President: “Tulad ng sinabi ko, laban ito sa mga taong hindi sumusunod kay BBM.”
The Vice President offered warm words for the legal team defending her, expressing appreciation for their commitment. “Nagpapasalamat lang talaga ako dahil mayroong mga abogado na tinanggap ang aking kaso at they are diligent and passionate enough to defend me,” she said.
She closed by thanking her supporters, acknowledging that the Office of the Vice President has been operating under strain. “Kahit na medyo hirap yung aming organization dahil sa politika, sa paninira, at sa pagpapahirap sa amin para gawin namin yung trabaho namin,” she said, crediting the public for standing by her office through the pressure.
