Latest news with #SaraDuterte
GMA Network
13 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
House to SC: Queries on impeach rap vs VP Sara best settled before Senate court
Questions on the validity and other matters about the impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte are best settled first before the Senate impeachment court, the House of Representatives prosecution panel said Wednesday. The House made this assertion in its answer to the Supreme Court (SC) which required the Lower Chamber to give details about the impeachment complaint it filed against Duterte and transmitted to the Senate. The same SC order also asked the House how it resolved the three prior impeachment complaints which were archived by the House after the fourth impeachment complaint was signed by over 215 House members, a figure that is way over the constitutionally-required one-third of the House members for the Senate to immediately start the impeachment trial. 'The clarifications sought by this Honorable Court through the above inquiries emphasize one thing: that the issues in this case involve questions which necessitate that this Honorable Court act as a trier of facts. Respectfully, this cannot be done, especially as the Constitution vests jurisdiction of the impeachment trial with the Senate,' the House prosecution panel said. Likewise, the House prosecutors cited that the Senate had already convened itself into the Senate impeachment court last June 10. 'As provided by Article XI, Section 3 (6) of the Constitution, 'the Senate shall have the sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment. Respondents [House] thus submit that matters regarding the validity of the transmitted Articles of Impeachment, along with the factual inquiries in this Honorable Court's July 8, 2025 Resolution, should, if at all, fall in the first instance to the jurisdiction of the Senate impeachment court,' the House said. 'These matters are necessarily entwined with the case of impeachment now pending before them, and may be settled once the trial proper begins,' it added. Further, the House said that the High Court's questions on which office prepared the Articles of Impeachment, when it was circulated among members of the House, and if the evidence for each Article were attached in the Articles of Impeachment circulated among the House members are internal House proceedings which are beyond the SC's jurisdiction. The House cited the SC decision on the Santiago v. Guingona case which states that 'the principle of separation of powers ordains that each of the three great branches of government has exclusive cognizance of and is supreme in matters falling within its own constitutionally allocated sphere. Constitutional respect and a becoming regard for the sovereign acts of a coequal branch prevents this Court from prying into the internal workings of the Senate.' 'It is the position of the House that these matters pertain to its internal proceedings, which have always been regarded as beyond the jurisdiction and scrutiny of this Honorable Court. This is especially because the matters referred to — the preparation, circulation, and perusal of the impeachment complaint, as well as its attachments — are not governed by any specific constitutional provision or House rule,' the House said. 'This [position] is grounded on no less than the separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution. Being a co-equal branch, the Congress is entitled to respect with regard to those matters which are within its exclusive jurisdiction,' it added. Still, the House maintained that the fourth impeachment complaint consisting of seven Articles of Impeachment that the House filed against Duterte and transmitted to the Senate are in accordance with the Constitution and the House Rules as stated in House Resolution 328 submitted to the Senate impeachment court last June 25. 'On the status of the first three complaints filed by private citizens, the House directed these to be transmitted to the archives of the House on February 5, 2025 after they were mooted by the fourth impeachment complaint, which had already been acted upon by the plenary [with over 215 lawmakers signing off on the fourth impeachment complaint]. The House Resolution attests that the fourth impeachment complaint fully complied with Article XI, Section 3, Paragraph 5 of the 1987 Constitution,' the House said. 'It is submitted that this is sufficient to affirm the regularity and validity of the fourth impeachment complaint, insofar as the House is concerned. Any further inquiry into the House's internal proceedings, absent a constitutional basis, is unwarranted,' it added. The seven Articles of Impeachment vs. Duterte include: conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez; malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds with questionable liquidation documents; bribery and corruption in the Department of Education during Duterte's tenure by handing out cash to former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado (Procurement Head), Bids and Awards Committee Member Resty Osias, DepEd Chief Accountant Rhunna Catalan and Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda; unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets in the Vice President's Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth where her wealth increased by four times from 2007 from 2017; involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City; destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder efforts, which include: boycotting the State of the Nation Address (SONA) while declaring herself "designated survivor," leading rallies calling for Marcos' resignation, obstructing congressional investigations by ordering subordinates not to comply with subpoenas, threatening bodily harm against the First Couple and Romualdez, among others; the totality of the Vice President's conduct as the second highest official of the land. —KG, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Sara Duterte tells public to send floodwater to Malacañang in swipe at Marcos
As floods continue to affect various parts of the country due to heavy rains from the southwest monsoon (habagat), Vice President Sara Duterte made a sarcastic remark suggesting that Filipinos should collect the floodwater and deliver it to Malacañang so President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would have something to drink. Her comment was a response to Marcos' earlier idea to collect floodwater in Metro Manila for agricultural use. Duterte referenced the President's 2023 statement about constructing large water impounding areas outside Metro Manila. During an ambush interview in The Hague, Netherlands, she also criticized the administration's approach to flooding, accusing it of using 'political scapegoating' and trying to shift the blame to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. When asked about the House resolution seeking to investigate the dolomite beach project, Duterte said she wouldn't be surprised if the current administration probes everything the former president did and blames him for ongoing national issues.
Russia Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ex-president's daughter slams ICC for ‘meddling' in Philippines' affairs
Sara Duterte, the daughter of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, has condemned the International Criminal Court (ICC) for 'meddling' in her country's politics. She has demanded that it drop all charges and release her father. Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in March 2025, six years after the Philippines exited the ICC, at Manila's international airport. He was extradited to The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity linked to his anti-drug campaign, which some Western organizations claim led to extrajudicial killings. Duterte has denied the accusations, calling his arrest unlawful. 'The ICC is meddling in our country's affairs,' Sara Duterte, currently the vice president, said at the 'Free Duterte Now' event at The Hague on Saturday. 'They also meddle in our governance, because they have an agenda... They intervene in how the Filipinos govern the Philippines.' The ICC has asserted jurisdiction over the case, arguing that the alleged crimes occurred while the Philippines was still a signatory from 2011-2019. Critics say the court has no right to act post-withdrawal, and accuse it of selectively targeting developing countries. The ICC has faced criticism for having a perceived neo-colonial bias and serving Western interests rather than applying universal justice. In her speech, Sara Duterte dismissed key witnesses in her father's case as mentally unstable, calling his main accuser, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a man with 'loose bolts.' She also labeled President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 'drug-addled,' accusing his administration of colluding with the ICC and funding 'fake witnesses.' She reiterated her call to 'dismiss the case of President Duterte and bring him back to the Philippines.' Duterte earlier told RT that the case is politically motivated, timed to derail her father's efforts to support senatorial candidates who are critical of Marcos. Sara Duterte currently faces impeachment on charges ranging from misuse of public funds to plotting to assassinate Marcos. If convicted, she could be removed from office and banned from public service for life. She has denied all charges, calling the process an attempt to block her from running in the 2028 presidential race.
GMA Network
a day ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sara Duterte: ‘Give Malacañang floodwater to drink'
Vice President Sara Duterte has criticized the government's supposed lack of disaster preparedness, which she said contributed to the flooding in several areas in the country amid the persistent rains. Duterte said that while on a personal trip at The Hague, Netherlands, she told her detained father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, about the current flooding situation in the Philippines. 'Napag-kwentuhan namin na taon-taon na lang na gano'n, pero wala talagang mga proyekto na nag-a-address sa baha. Ibig sabihin, inaantay na lang natin dumating 'yung bagyo at 'yung baha at maging biktima na naman tayo ulit ng baha taon taon,' she said in an interview on Monday. (We've discussed the flooding situation in the country which happens every year, but no projects were being implemented to address the problem. This means that we're just waiting for the typhoon and the flood to come and we let ourselves become victims of floods every year.) The Vice President was asked about the earlier suggestion of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. to store floodwater and reuse it for agricultural purposes. 'Ipunin po natin lahat tapos i-deliver po natin sa Malacañang para po may mainom siya,' she said. (Let's collect it and deliver it to Malacañang so that he can drink it.) 'Ganoon na po ang gagawin natin—ipunin natin lahat tapos i-deliver po natin sa Malacañang para meron silang mainom doon,' she added. (That's what we'll do—we'll collect floodwater and then deliver it to Malacañang so that they have something to drink.) During Marcos' visit to the Department of Social Welfare And Development (DSWD)-National Resource Operations Center last Friday, July 18, the President tried drinking water from the agency's family water filtration kit—which could be used in areas with limited access to clean water in times of disasters. ''Yung tinesting namin, 'yun 'yung balde na mayroong filter na kahit anong klaseng tubig, 'wag lang maalat, pero kahit na iba, basta fresh water, kahit hindi masyadong malinis, pwedeng ilagay sa balde, pwedeng inumin. Idadaan lang doon sa filter na 'yun,' Marcos said. (We tested the basin that has a filter. Any kind of water—fresh water not salt water—even if it's not clean, you can put it in the basin and you can drink it. It just has to go through the filter.) Dolomite beach VP Sara also slammed the congressional inquiry into the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach Project that was proposed before the House of Representatives. She was referring to House Resolution 56 filed by Bicol Saro party-list Representatve Terry Ridon, who said that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), through its Chairman Don Artes, identified the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach Project as a direct contributor to the persistent flooding in the City of Manila. 'Hindi na ako magtataka kung lahat ng ginawa o lahat ng ginagawa ni dating pangulong Duterte ay imbestigahan ng administrasyon ngayon. At hindi na rin tayo magtataka kung lahat noong mga nangyayari ay sasabihin nila na kaparte 'yan ng war on drugs at kasalanan 'yan ni president Duterte,' she said. (I'll not be surprised if everything that former president Duterte did or is doing will be investigated by the current administration. I will also not be surprised if they say that everything that is happening now is connected to the war on drugs and was the fault of former president Duterte.) She also dismissed the move as merely 'political scapegoating.' 'Ibig sabihin, ayaw nila tanggapin 'yung obligasyon, ayaw nila ibigay 'yung accountability sa mga problema. Tulad ng pagbaha, dapat kasi ang sasabihin mo niyan ay ano ba ang dahilan kung bakit nagbabaha? Ano ba ang plano natin para sa susunod na bagyo ay hindi na babaha? At paano ba natin i-implement 'yung plano natin na paniguraduhin natin na hindi na nasa-stranded o hindi na nabibiktima ng pagbaha 'yung mga tao? Ganon dapat ang sagot ng gobyerno. Hindi 'yung magtuturo sila ng ibang tao kasi nililihis nila 'yung attention ng tao sa totoong problema,' she continued. (This means that they don't want to accept their obligation and give accountability for the problems. When it comes to flooding, they should be asking what is the reason for such and how can we plan for it? How do we implement our plan to ensure that people will no longer be stranded or become victims of flooding? That's what the government should answer. They don't need to pinpoint because they only divert people's attention to the real problem.) SONA 2025 Further, Duterte maintained that she has no obligation to listen to the fourth State of the Nation Address of Marcos on July 28. This, as House spokesperson Princess Abante said that the lower chamber remains open to all government officials for the SONA, including the Vice President. The House official had emphasized the importance of Duterte's role in witnessing the President's annual report before the Congress and the Filipinos. 'Wala tayong batas na nagsasabi na tungkulin ng mga Pilipino ang makinig sa Presidente. Ang nasa batas natin nakalagay, tungkulin ng Presidente ang magbigay sa ating mga Pilipino kung ano 'yung estado ng ating bansa. Siya 'yung may tungkulin, tayo walang tungkulin makinig,' Duterte said. (We have no law that says that Filipinos are mandated to listen to the President. The law states that it is the duty of the President to deliver to Filipinos what the state of our country is. He is the one who has the duty, we have no duty to listen to him.) 'We have the right to listen or to not listen. There is no law mandating us to listen to the President give his State of the Nation Address,' she added. The Vice President previously said that she has no intention of attending Marcos' fourth SONA. Last year, she also skipped the presidential speech. 2028 plans Sara Duterte also disclosed that her father Rodrigo has signified his support for her should she decide to run for presidency in the 2028 elections. 'Sabi niya, kung gusto mong tumakbo, tumakbo ka…Sabi niya, ako ang pinakaunang mag-contribute at tumulong sa iyo. Sabi niya, sana lang ay nasa labas na ako sa kampanya kasi gusto kong mangampanya. Pero sabi niya, 'pag sinabi mo sa akin na tatakbo ka…ako 'yung unang tutulong,' she said, recalling her conversation with her father during her visit. (He told me that if I want to run, then I should said that he'll be the first to contribute and help me. He just wished that he'll already be released once the campaign begins because he wants to campaign for me. But he told me that if I'm going to run, then he'll be the first to help.) The Duterte patriarch was arrested in the Philippines by local authorities on March 11, based on a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court. He is currently detained in the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague for charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during the drug war. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sara Duterte hits eyed ammunition manufacturing site in PH
Vice President Sara Duterte has criticized the statement of an envoy that the Philippines is open to the production of ammunition in the country in a bid to enhance the defense ties between Manila and Washington. The Vice President, who is currently in The Hague, Netherlands to visit her detained father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, stressed that the move would undermine the country's independent foreign policy. 'Ang nakalagay sa ating Saligang Batas, na meron tayong dapat independent foreign policy. Kung 'yung ginagawa ng gobyerno ay kumikiling sa isang bansa lang, ibig sabihin no'n, wala na tayong true independent policy,' Vice President Sara said in an interview on Monday, July 21. (Our Constitution states that we must have an independent foreign policy. If what the government is doing is only for the benefit of another country, that means we no longer have a true independent policy.) 'So, dapat hindi lang ako 'yung kumukontra, lahat tayong mga Pilipino kumukontra sa plano na ito dahil ang ating mga galaw ay dapat for the interest of our country. Hindi para sa interest ng ibang mga bansa,' she added. (So, I should not be the only one who should oppose this plan, but all of us Filipinos because our actions should be for the interest of our country and not of other countries.) It was Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel ''Babe'' Romualdez who earlier said that an ammunition production facility would be a 'good way of being able to help a combination of both defense and economic cooperation' between the Philippines and the US. The ambassador said that this would also generate employment in the country. It was also previously reported that US lawmakers were exploring the possibility of establishing a joint ammunition manufacturing facility in Subic Bay. The facility will reportedly enable the forward staging of ammunition stockpiles and related materials such as nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, and acid. Duterte, however, pointed out that Filipinos should only act for the benefit of the Philippines, and not of other countries. 'Hindi lang Amerika, kahit anong bansa 'yan—hindi para sa kanila ang galaw nating mga Pilipino. Ang mga ginagawa natin ay dapat para sa interes ng ating bansa,' the Vice President said. (The actions of Filipinos are not for the US or any other country. What we do must be for the interest of our country alone.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
