By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA, Philippines — With the impeachment court now convened to try Vice President “Inday” Sara Duterte-Carpio, former Ateneo School of Government dean Atty. Antonio Gabriel “Tony” La Viña said it would be difficult to secure a conviction, which requires at least 16 votes from the 24-member Senate.
However, La Viña stressed that evidence presented during the trial could still “change minds” in favor of conviction.
He also noted that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s (PBBM) position could play a crucial role, recalling past impeachment cases where Senate votes were allegedly influenced by signals from Malacañang.
“The signs coming from President Marcos (Jr.) toward the possible votes are important,” the legal expert said, pointing to ongoing issues involving some senators.
As an example, he cited the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was convicted by the Senate impeachment court in 2012 for failure to fully disclose his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
La Viña said that while only about 12 to 14 votes were initially expected for conviction, political dynamics — including pressure from then President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III — were seen as influencing senator-judges.
“I think there is a chance to convict Sara, but it is politically challenging, unless there is vigilance on our part and, of course, pressure on the President to actually take steps,” he said.
He also urged the public to closely monitor developments in the impeachment proceedings, particularly any possible motion to dismiss that may be filed by the Vice President.
“We need to react quickly that this is not acceptable,” he added.
La Viña further warned that the case could be weakened if key financial documents, including Duterte’s bank records, are not presented.
“There are two obstacles: the impeachment court and the Supreme Court, because she would surely appeal to the Supreme Court,” he said.
He underscored that allegations of unexplained wealth and alleged misuse of confidential funds are central to the impeachment case.
During previous House committee hearings, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said banks flagged billions of pesos worth of transactions linked to Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio. These included 33 suspicious transactions and 630 covered transactions amounting to ₱6.7 billion.
The Commission on Audit (COA) also issued a notice of disallowance against the Office of the Vice President (OVP) covering ₱73.28 million in confidential funds in 2022, citing spending for projects not aligned with the intended purpose. The COA later upheld the decision in an April 10 ruling.
ia/xf
