MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Vice President Sara Duterte is still willing to face the charges against her despite her camp submitting a petition to the Supreme Court to block the impeachment effort against her.
This is according to one of her legal counsel, lawyer Sheila Sison, during a chance interview on the sidelines of a forum with the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law at its Bonifacio Global City campus in Taguig City on Wednesday.
When asked about the petition despite Vice President鈥檚 earlier statements that she welcomed the proceedings, Sison said, 鈥淪a tingin ko, walang contradiction. In fact, yung statement ni vice president na she鈥檚 willing to face whatever charges against sa kanya, I think hindi naman nagbabago yun.鈥�
(In my view, there鈥檚 no contradiction. In fact, the statement of the vice president that she鈥檚 willing to face whatever charges against her, I think that doesn鈥檛 change.)
鈥淗indi naman ibig sabihin na nag-file siya ng petisyon para kwestyunin yung proseso, hindi ibig sabihin non na ayaw na niyang humarap. Sa tingin ko, narrative lang yan ng mga taong gustong magpalabas ng maling impormasyon, spekulasyon,鈥� she added.
(It doesn鈥檛 mean that because she filed a petition to question the process, she doesn鈥檛 want to face it. In my view, that鈥檚 only a narrative of those who want to put out false information, speculation.)
Earlier on Wednesday, lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc slammed Duterte for filing the petition against the impeachment effort, saying she was backtracking her earlier remarks.
READ: Makabayan solons slam Sara Duterte鈥檚 bid to stop impeachment
In the SC petition, the Duterte camp sought to nullify the fourth complaint filed by House members and cited Article XI of the Constitution which states: 鈥淣o impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year.鈥�
READ: VP Sara Duterte files petition at SC to stop impeachment moves against her
鈥淗indi ko nakikitang kung paano magkatunggali 鈥檡ung kanyang pag-avail ng isang legal remedy na available naman sa kanya, available sa iyo, available sa akin, available sa kung sino mang tao na malalagay sa kanyang posisyon,鈥� Sison said.
(I don鈥檛 see how it鈥檚 contradictory for her to avail a legal remedy that鈥檚 available to her, available to you, available to me, available to anyone who鈥檇 be in her position.)
鈥淒apat tignan ng taumbayan itong buong proseso based doon sa ano ba talaga yung facts, hindi doon sa ano ang spekulasyon na pinapalaganap or yung sinasabi nating mga iniisip natin lamang pero wala namang batayan,鈥� she stressed.
(The people should look at the whole process based on what are the facts, not at speculation being spread or whatever we say that we think without a basis.)