MANILA - Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte expressed doubts on Wednesday about getting enough support from legislators to fight impeachment complaints filed against her, saying the process is a “political activity”.
“We’re not confident with numbers because impeachment is a legal process and a political activity,” she told a news briefing.
Duterte is facing two impeachment complaints in the House of Representatives, filed last week by separate progressive groups. The first alleges corruption, bribery and other crimes, while the second accuses her of misusing public funds. The vice president said she is expecting a third complaint to be filed.
She and her lawyers have read copies of the complaints and said “we’re starting preparatory work right now”, she added.
Duterte and her security staff are also facing charges from the Philippine National Police in connection with incidents in the House of Representatives and at a hospital.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has largely distanced himself from attempts to unseat Duterte. Their powerful political clans have been embroiled in a public feud that risks causing political instability in one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.
The vice president earlier on Wednesday failed to appear for questioning over an alleged threat to assassinate Marcos.
Duterte, an influential ally of Marcos until their acrimonious fallout earlier this year, was subpoenaed to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation to explain remarks she made during a press conference on Nov 23, when she said she had hired a hitman to kill the president, his wife and the lower house speaker, in the event that she herself were killed.
The daughter of firebrand former president Rodrigo Duterte has not detailed any specific threat to her life, while Marcos has described her remarks as “reckless and troubling”.
As for the impeachment complaints, Duterte said she did not expect a fair investigation given what she called “biased pronouncements” from the president and a justice ministry official.
“We believe cases will be filed,” Duterte told a press conference on Wednesday. “The worst case scenario we see is removal from office, impeachment, and then piled-up cases which the lawyers already told me to expect as well.”
The relationship between Marcos and Duterte has turned hostile in recent months, a stark contrast to two years ago, when their two powerful families joined forces to sweep a presidential election.
Riding on a wave of support at the tail end of her popular father’s presidency, Duterte had initially led opinion polls for preferred presidential candidates, but opted to run alongside Marcos rather than against him.
Marcos has said he does not support the impeachment efforts.
Following Duterte’s failure to appear for questioning on Wednesday, NBI director Jaime Santiago produced a letter sent by her lawyers stating she “vehemently denies having made any threat” that could be classified as a “grave threat” under the law, or a violation of the country’s anti-terrorism act.
Santiago assured Duterte of a fair inquiry and said the subpoena for questioning would have been an opportunity for her to elaborate on the threats against her.
“It would have been easier had (the vice president) appeared before us,” he said, adding he would leave it to her to decide whether to face investigators before they conclude their probe next month.
Duterte said threats against her had not been investigated and she was unwilling to provide information because she did not trust authorities.
“Right now seeing they are picking out words I said and making a case out of it saying it was a threat, they should start to ask where is this coming from,” she said.
She added: “I am at peace at whatever happens to me.”
“We’re not confident with numbers because impeachment is a legal process and a political activity,” she told a news briefing.
Duterte is facing two impeachment complaints in the House of Representatives, filed last week by separate progressive groups. The first alleges corruption, bribery and other crimes, while the second accuses her of misusing public funds. The vice president said she is expecting a third complaint to be filed.
She and her lawyers have read copies of the complaints and said “we’re starting preparatory work right now”, she added.
Duterte and her security staff are also facing charges from the Philippine National Police in connection with incidents in the House of Representatives and at a hospital.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has largely distanced himself from attempts to unseat Duterte. Their powerful political clans have been embroiled in a public feud that risks causing political instability in one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.
The vice president earlier on Wednesday failed to appear for questioning over an alleged threat to assassinate Marcos.
Duterte, an influential ally of Marcos until their acrimonious fallout earlier this year, was subpoenaed to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation to explain remarks she made during a press conference on Nov 23, when she said she had hired a hitman to kill the president, his wife and the lower house speaker, in the event that she herself were killed.
The daughter of firebrand former president Rodrigo Duterte has not detailed any specific threat to her life, while Marcos has described her remarks as “reckless and troubling”.
As for the impeachment complaints, Duterte said she did not expect a fair investigation given what she called “biased pronouncements” from the president and a justice ministry official.
“We believe cases will be filed,” Duterte told a press conference on Wednesday. “The worst case scenario we see is removal from office, impeachment, and then piled-up cases which the lawyers already told me to expect as well.”
The relationship between Marcos and Duterte has turned hostile in recent months, a stark contrast to two years ago, when their two powerful families joined forces to sweep a presidential election.
Riding on a wave of support at the tail end of her popular father’s presidency, Duterte had initially led opinion polls for preferred presidential candidates, but opted to run alongside Marcos rather than against him.
Marcos has said he does not support the impeachment efforts.
Following Duterte’s failure to appear for questioning on Wednesday, NBI director Jaime Santiago produced a letter sent by her lawyers stating she “vehemently denies having made any threat” that could be classified as a “grave threat” under the law, or a violation of the country’s anti-terrorism act.
Santiago assured Duterte of a fair inquiry and said the subpoena for questioning would have been an opportunity for her to elaborate on the threats against her.
“It would have been easier had (the vice president) appeared before us,” he said, adding he would leave it to her to decide whether to face investigators before they conclude their probe next month.
Duterte said threats against her had not been investigated and she was unwilling to provide information because she did not trust authorities.
“Right now seeing they are picking out words I said and making a case out of it saying it was a threat, they should start to ask where is this coming from,” she said.
She added: “I am at peace at whatever happens to me.”
