Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged admission that she had spoken to someone willing to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. constitutes an impeachable offense and a betrayal of public trust, House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor said Wednesday.
The allegation against the VP, cited in several impeachment complaints pending before the House of Representatives, was the same ground Defensor invoked when he signed a complaint against Duterte last year.
“The very reason why I signed the impeachment complaint last year was because walang bise-presidente nagsasabi na may kinausap na akong taong handang pumatay sa isang presidente,” Defensor said in an ambush interview.
(The very reason why I signed the impeachment complaint last year was because no Vice President says they have already spoken to a person ready to kill a President.)
“That will always be an impeachable offense and a betrayal of public trust.”
Asked if Duterte, who declared Wednesday that she will run for President in 2028, should be impeached on that basis, he replied: “On that ground, yes. Same ground.”
Defensor said the principle applies regardless of who sits as president.
“Kung manalo si Vice President Sara Duterte bilang presidente at sinabihan siya ng kanyang bise presidente na may kinausap din ako na taong handang pumatay sa kanya, I will sign the impeachment complaint again kahit sinuman ’yan,” he said.
(If Vice President Sara Duterte wins as president and her vice president tells her that they have also spoken to someone ready to kill her, I will sign the impeachment complaint again, regardless of who it is.)
Defensor, who served as one of the House prosecutors in last year’s impeachment proceedings, said he would again perform his constitutional duty if chosen.
Still, he stressed that the current complaints must undergo the constitutional process before any plenary vote.
Under Article XI, Section 3 of the Constitution, the House has the exclusive power to initiate impeachment cases.
Once a verified complaint is filed and included in the Order of Business, it is referred to the Committee on Justice to determine sufficiency in form and substance.
Only after the committee finds the complaint sufficient and the required number of House members approve a resolution of impeachment can the Articles of Impeachment be transmitted to the Senate, which has the sole power to try and decide the case.
Defensor said the House would proceed in accordance with its constitutional mandate.
