By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The legal team of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday denied any involvement in a petition filed before the Supreme Court seeking to halt the Senate impeachment trial, insisting they were neither informed nor consulted before the case was lodged.
Defense spokesperson Michael Poa said the camp was unaware that lawyer Israelito Torreon and eight other attorneys had filed a petition questioning the authority of Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero to preside over the impeachment court.
“We had absolutely no knowledge that such a petition would be filed or was even being prepared. I only learned about it after it had already been submitted,” Poa told reporters.
The petition asks the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) or a status quo ante order to stop the impeachment proceedings, arguing that Escudero’s election as presiding officer could cast doubt on the legality of the trial.
Poa acknowledged knowing Torreon personally but emphasized that they had no communication regarding the filing of the petition.
He stressed that Duterte’s legal team would refrain from commenting on the case pending before the High Court, saying their sole responsibility is to defend the vice president before the Senate impeachment tribunal.
“Our focus is the impeachment proceedings. We believe it would be improper for us to express any opinion on the petition or on the authority of the current presiding officer,” he said.
Asked whether Duterte herself knew of the petition before it was filed, Poa said there had been no discussion about it within the defense team.
“I don’t know for certain, but I would assume she also had no prior knowledge because the matter was never discussed among us,” he added.
The disclosure underscores an apparent disconnect between Duterte’s official defense panel and a separate group of lawyers seeking judicial intervention to suspend the impeachment trial, even as proceedings before the Senate impeachment court continue.
ia/xf
