Sara Duterte’s criminal case no effect on impeachment trial – Gatchalian

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s grave threats case before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) will have no effect on her ongoing impeachment trial at the Senate Impeachment Court, according to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.

He said the two proceedings are separate, with the RTC handling the criminal case and the Senate handling the impeachment case.

“This is my personal opinion, it has no effect on me and on the impeachment trial. The [regional trial] court is different from the impeachment court. How the case goes in court is different from how the impeachment case goes,” he said in an interview with dzBB on Sunday.

“The court had determined that there was probable cause and there will be a hearing. But it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s already guilty and that the court already has a verdict,” he added.

Gatchalian also said that in the impeachment trial, the defense team will still have to present its evidence.

“We’ll see how they will defend [their side], and from there, we’ll make our decision,” he added.

READ: Sara Duterte at QC Hall of Justice: ‘I don’t feel safe’

In July, the House prosecution panel rested its case under Article IV, which accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust over her alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Duterte was issued an arrest warrant on Friday, Sept. 4, after a Quezon City court found probable cause to charge her with three counts of grave threats.

The charges stem from Duterte’s public statements in 2024 that she had hired an assassin to kill the president, the first lady, and the former speaker if an alleged plot to kill her succeeded.

Duterte posted P360,000 bail before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Saturday.

Gatchalian also called on the police to seriously look into Duterte’s claims that she fears for her life following the issuance of the arrest warrant against her.

“Everyone, including the vice president, should feel safe.” /mcm