Representative-elect and former senator Leila de Lima alleged that Vice President Sara Duterte fears a full-blown impeachment trial, which could expose evidence of alleged misuse of confidential funds.
According to De Lima, this fear explains what she described as a coordinated strategy to delay or obstruct the Senate proceedings through legal motions, overseas trips, and possibly leveraging a ruling from the Office of the Ombudsman.
“This is really cause for concern because the main objective seems to be to avoid a trial proper at all costs—to prevent evidence from surfacing,” De Lima stated.
Recently, the Office of the Ombudsman, led by Samuel Martires—an appointee of former President Rodrigo Duterte—ordered the Vice President to respond to charges including plunder and technical malversation based on a report approved by the House Committee on Good Government.
The order was issued a few weeks after the House of Representatives passed the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, which are now pending in the Senate.
De Lima warned that if the Ombudsman dismisses the charges, it could be used to weaken the prosecution’s case.
Earlier, Senator Ronald dela Rosa attempted to dismiss the Articles of Impeachment, but the Senate opted instead to return the documents to the House, drawing criticism from legal experts and the House prosecution team as a stalling maneuver.
Vice President Duterte’s legal team also filed an appearance “ad cautelam” before the impeachment court, signaling potential procedural challenges ahead.
De Lima pointed to a pattern of moves—from the sudden Ombudsman directive to a pending Supreme Court petition contesting the Articles’ transmittal—as efforts to disrupt the process.
She also criticized Duterte’s continued trips abroad amid a deepening legal controversy.
The Articles of Impeachment reportedly include allegations involving questionable banking transactions and the use of falsified documents in fund liquidation.
De Lima concluded that Duterte appears to be using both legal and public relations strategies to control the narrative and derail the proceedings.