Vancouver, Canada – Malacañang said Vice President Sara Duterte should personally appear before the Senate impeachment court if she wants to prove she has done nothing wrong.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the executive branch respects the Senate constitutional mandate to hold the trial.
She said appearing in person would allow Duterte to answer the allegations and confront the witnesses against her.
“Kung lawyer din naman at pag-uusapan at alam naman nila na yung kanilang kliyente ay walang kasalanan at malinis, mas magandang maipakita ito sa buong mga kababayan natin at sa buong mundo na ang vice president ay malinis,” Castro said in a press briefing on Friday, July 3.
[Translation: If her lawyers truly believe their client is innocent, it would be better to show the Filipino people and the rest of the world that the Vice President is indeed innocent.]
Castro said every respondent has the right to face witnesses and respond to accusations.
