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Metro Manila, Philippines – Israelito Torreon and eight other lawyers have filed an urgent motion with the Supreme Court seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. The group questioned the validity of the impeachment court after Sen. Chiz Escudero was elected presiding officer on the first day of the trial proceedings on Monday, July 6.  They referred to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s manifestation during the opening of the impeachment court. Citing the Constitution, the senator-judge argued that only the Senate president can preside over the impeachment court. “Unless immediately restrained, the Impeachment Court will continue acting under rules and a presiding officer whose validity depends on proceedings already challenged as unconstitutional,” the petitioners said. They also questioned the validity of Senate Resolution 48, adopted June 3, which amended the rules of procedure on impeachment trials to allow for the election of a…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Impeachment Court on Tuesday, July 7, began tackling Article IV on the remarks of Vice President Sara Duterte in 2024 that she hired an assassin to kill President Bongbong Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza-Araneta Marcos, and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.   Duterte was present in the Senate shortly before the trial to meet with her defense panel, but did not appear in court.  At the start of the trial proceedings, private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan sought Duterte’s attendance as she was earlier present in the building. Court presiding officer Chiz Escudero, however, said court rules do not require Duterte to attend proceedings as she is represented by her counsel.  Kapunan said the prosecution would not waive its right to subpoena Duterte to attend the trial.  First witness summoned The prosecution summoned its first witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) senior agent John…

Metro  Manila, Philippines – Palace press officer Claire Castro challenged Senator Robin Padilla over his criticism of her response to an incident during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Canada, asking whether the senator tolerates cursing and wishing death on others. Padilla earlier said Castro should not be “balat-sibuyas,” or thin-skinned, arguing that public service comes with scrutiny and even insults. Castro said Padilla should have first known the full circumstances before making such a remark. “Mas maganda sana kung nagsalita muna si Senator Robin Padilla at inalam niya ang buong kuwento bago siya nagsalita na balat-sibuyas,” Castro said. (Translation: It would have been better if Senator Robin Padilla had first learned the whole story before calling me thin-skinned.) She said the Palace did not release the video of the incident and had no intention of turning it into a bigger issue. “Hindi po kami ang nagpakalat ng video. Wala…

Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to receive or act on a shortlist of candidates to replace Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who is set to retire in two weeks, Malacañang said Monday, July 6.  Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said she has not received any information that a list of possible successors had been submitted to the president. “Sa ngayon, wala pa pong naipapaabot sa atin,” Castro said. [Translation: As of now, no information has been relayed to us.]  Asked what qualities Marcos is looking for in the next military chief, Castro said the president wants someone who is trustworthy, patriotic and dedicated to public service. “Unang-una po, of course, mapagkakatiwalaan, makabayan, maka-Diyos at masipag, at ang iniisip ay kapakanan ng bayan,” she said. [Translation: First and foremost, of course, someone who is trustworthy, patriotic, God-fearing and hardworking, and whose priority is the welfare…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte appeared at the Senate on Tuesday, July 7, on the second day of her impeachment trial The embattled official just stayed over an hour ahead of the trial at 2 p.m. She gave a guarded, carefully worded one-liner. “My statement is in this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbound,” Duterte told the media. The vice president met with the defense panel but will not attend the impeachment trial, her counsel Michael Poa said. Duterte skipped the first day for an Office of the Vice President planning session in preparation for super typhoon Bavi.