Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte has officially responded to the impeachment complaint recently filed against her by the House of Representatives, firmly declaring herself “Not Guilty.”
In a 35-page reply submitted by her legal team, Duterte dismissed the complaint as a mere “scrap of paper,” calling it baseless and unconstitutional.
According to the Vice President, the complaint should be dismissed outright for violating the one-year rule, which prohibits more than one impeachment complaint against the same official within a single year.
Duterte further argued that the filing of the complaint was a clear abuse of the impeachment process, as it lacked both factual basis and legal merit to justify her removal from office.
Her camp also believes that the Senate no longer has any reason to issue summons in connection with the case, after it returned the Articles of Impeachment to the House of Representatives.
Vice President Duterte categorically denied all allegations linking her to bribery, corruption, betrayal of public trust, misuse of confidential funds, contracting an assassin, and political destabilization.
The House prosecution panel has been given five days to respond to Duterte’s official reply. — Ruzzel Andante, Contributor