In Duterte bailiwick, Palace denies Marcos hand in Sara impeachment trial

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had no involvement in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro maintained on Wednesday as she continued her media rounds in Duterte stronghold Mindanao.

Castro has repeatedly distanced the President from the impeachment complaints against the vice president as early as 2025, but the issue was raised anew during a radio interview in Cagayan de Oro City.

“May separation of powers ang ehekutibo at ang Kongreso,” Castro said.

“Kung ano ang nangyayari diyan, kung paano ito tinatalakay, hindi po responsable ang Pangulo sa ginagawa ng Kongreso,” she said.

“Wala pong ginawang pangingialam ang Pangulo sa ginagawa ng Kongreso. Yun lang po ang nais ng Pangulo: due process, managot ang dapat managot. Kung malinis, eh di i-acquit. Yun lang naman po yun.”

Duterte’s trust and approval ratings — which remain higher than the President’s scores — should not be used as a basis for the impeachment trial’s credibility, Castro said.

“Hindi dahil mataas siya sa survey, hindi ibig sabihin na hindi na dapat makita yung mga ebidensya na pinupukol sa kaniya,” she said.

“Kung siya naman ay makabayan, makatao, totoong nagsisilbi sa bayan, mas maganda na maipahayag ng Bise Presidente kung ano ang hawak niyang ebidensya para ma-counter niya yung mga ipinupukol sa kaniya kasi accountability at transparency ang dapat itaguyod ng isang public servant,” she said.

“Ang kailangan lang pong makita ng ibang tao — supporter man o hindi supporter — ay makita natin kung papaano ba masasagot ng Bise Presidente itong mga pinupukol sa kaniya kasi kung wala naman talagang kasalanan, madaling depensahan, madaling sabihin na ito ay hindi ko ginawa with evidence, hindi puwedeng bibig lang.”

Duterte’s impeachment trial is on a 26-day break to give way to budget deliberations in the Senate.

The proceedings are expected to resume on November 9, with Duterte’s defense team presenting their own witnesses and evidence to disprove the second-in-command’s alleged unexplained wealth.