Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte was absent on the fourth day of impeachment hearings at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, April 29, effectively skipping all proceedings held by the House justice committee.
Duterte’s defense team previously maintained that they would skip the proceedings, in accordance with their petition before the Supreme Court challenging the legality of the hearings over supposed constitutional flaws.
In her opening statement, House justice committee chairperson Jinky Luistro slammed Duterte’s refusal to face the committee proceedings. She also criticized the defense team’s statement asking the public to be cautious of the impeachment raps.
“Napakasimple ng tanong: may pera ba o wala? Mayroon bang P6.7 billion na gumalaw sa ilalim ng mga pangalan nila? At kung mayroon—saan galing? Tapos tayo ang pinag-iingat? “Be cautious daw. Anong klaseng sagot iyan?,” she said.
[Translation: The question is very simple: is there money or none? Was there ₱6.7 billion that moved under their names? And if there was—where did it come from? Then we’re the ones being told to be careful? “Be cautious,” they say. What kind of answer is that?]
At the impeachment hearing on April 22, lawmakers flagged the disparity between Duterte’s declared net worth at ₱88.5 million and the billions in transactions tied to her account, as reported by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The AMLC said Duterte and her spouse Mans Carpio registered at least ₱6.7 billion in covered and suspicious transactions from 2006 to 2025. Luistro maintained that the committee’s actions are within the bounds of the law, saying impeachment proceedings are exempt from the bank secrecy law.
A number of petitions challenging the legality of the proceedings have been filed by Duterte and her allies.
On Monday, April 27, her husband Mans Carpio sued several members of the House justice committee — including Luistro — and officials of the Anti-Money Laundering Council for disclosing their bank records during the impeachment hearings.
“Magreklamo na sila hangga’t gusto nila, ngunit hindi nito mababago ang isang simpleng katotohanan: ang Konstitusyon ang pinakamataas na batas,” Luistro said.
[Translation: They can file complaints all they want, but it will not change a simple fact: the Constitution is the highest law.]
Luistro earlier told NewsWatch Plus that it is possible that lawmakers will vote on whether there is probable cause to send the complaints to the plenary on Wednesday. She noted the allegations and forensic documents remain ‘unrebutted’ because of Duterte’s refusal to face House proceedings.
On the last day of the hearings, the committee invited National Bureau of Investigation chief Melvin Matibag to submit the results of the bureau’s probe into the threats made by Duterte against the presidential family – the remaining issue in the impeachment suits.
Justice panel members will also vote on whether or not the committee will open the box containing the tax records of Duterte and her husband, Mans Carpio.
Duterte is facing two impeachment suits for supposed betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, and high crimes, among others, over allegations of fund misuse, threats against the presidential family, and unexplained wealth.
