Why Sara Duterte skips questions related to her impeachment

VEEP. Vice President Sara Duterte, along with legal counsels, arrives at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, following the issuance of an arrest warrant against her over a grave threats case, on September 5, 2026.

Jire Carreon/Rappler

'Masyado nang maraming problema ang mga abogado ko ayaw ko nang dagdagan 'yong kanilang problema with the contempt,' the Vice President says

Vice President Sara Duterte is at least taking notes from her ongoing Senate impeachment trial.

She is now aware and careful about possibly violating the sub judice rule that bars parties, including herself, from discussing the merits of her ongoing impeachment case.

“Mako-contempt ako, sir, eh kapag sumagot ako sa impeachment (I will be cited in contempt if I answer questions related to impeachment),” said the Vice President during an ambush interview with reporters in Banga, South Cotabato on Monday, September 21.

“Masyado nang maraming problema ang mga abogado ko, ayaw ko nang dagdagan ‘yung kanilang problema with the contempt (My lawyers have a lot of problems already and I don’t want to add to that list a possible contempt),” she added.

Under Rule 18 of the Senate impeachment rules, the presiding officer, senator-judges, prosecutors, members of the defense team, respondents, as well as witnesses, are barred from disclosing to the public matters related to the trial.

Presiding officer Chiz Escudero reminded the parties of this rule on August 26, and set the possible penalties against violators. This includes public reprimand or admonition for the first offense, and then a P30,000-fine for each subsequent offense.

Apart from reiterating the rule to the prosecution and the defense, Escudero also reminded the Vice President’s camp that the sub judice rule also applies to Duterte.

Prior to Escudero’s August 26 reminder to the parties, Duterte talked about her impeachment trial in some of her media interviews. Lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro also said in the past that Duterte allegedly violated the rule through a social media post where the Vice President defended her staff from the remarks of senators.

Defense spokesperson and counsel Michael Poa said in August that he would sit down with Duterte to discuss Escudero’s reminder.

On Monday, Poa confirmed that he had already talked to Duterte. He said that his client is “receptive” to his feedback.

“At hindi ko naman i-deny na nagkaroon na ng pag-uusap between myself and the Vice President on what I think is skirting sub judice, skirting contempt. At very receptive naman po ang ating Vice President,” Poa told reporters during his Monday briefing. “So may mga ganyan kaming pag-uusap…. At usually naman, she values our opinion.”

(And I won’t deny that the Vice President and I already discussed what I think is skirting sub judice, skirting contempt. And the Vice Presdient is very receptive. So we have already talked about it. And usually, she values our opinion.)

The prosecution is currently presenting evidence about Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth — the last articles of impeachment to be presented against the Vice President.

Simultaneously, the Vice President is also facing a criminal case, grave threats, at a Quezon City Regional Trial Court due to her alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family. – Rappler.com