By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
As the wheels of justice are rolling, Malacañang called on everyone, especially lawmakers, to refrain from making any inputs that might jeopardize the proceedings against the second-highest government official.
This, as PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro responded to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s call for his colleagues to reject any offer to succeed Vice President Sara Duterte if she becomes convicted during the impeachment trial.
Sen. Cayetano’s plea revolves around the ‘conflict of interest,’ noting the direct involvement and participation of his colleagues in the trial as part of the roster of senator-judges.
Usec. Castro said in a briefing on Tuesday, “Dahil hindi pa po tapos ang impeachment trial, hayaan nating gumulong ang proseso—at iyon naman po ang nais ng Pangulo, gumulong ang proseso, due process.”
She likewise urged everyone to respect the Office of the Vice President akin to other institutions that comprise the Executive branch of the government, as well as repelled circulating discussions about Duterte’s possible successor.
The impeachment trial is expected to resume in November, with the Senate currently focused on its hearing for the 2027 national budget.
Meanwhile, the House Prosecution team shared a comprehensive summary of the crucial evidence gathered by the impeachment court during the hearing of Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which focused on the unexplained wealth amassed by the Vice President.
Presented across several slides were graphs, charts, tables, and other visual aids that break down the composition of VP Duterte’s unexplained wealth into digestible chunks of information.
According to data compiled and verified by forensic accounting expert Atty. Alexander Cabrera, the Vice President amassed around P817 million in undeclared assets from 2022-2025, which covers bank accounts, insurance and investments, business interests, properties, and various weapons owned by the Duterte couple.
Impeachment adviser and spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers said in a media interview on the sidelines of the presentation, “Doon pa lang sa SALN, kung saan may mga information na hindi naideklara at hindi maliwanag ang kanilang rason. Sa tingin ko, doon pa lang ay meron ng mabigat na ebidensya at basehan na pwedeng gamitin ng ating mga senator-judges. Another is yung non-divestment sa mga negosyo na kanyang idineklara.” (with reports from Clay Pardilla and Vel Custodio)
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