Prosecutors drop most impeachment charges against Philippine VP\nDuterte<\/p>\n
The unexpected move by prosecutors came after they presented weeks of\nevidence backing the now-dismissed charges against Vice President Sara\nDuterte.<\/p>\n
MANILA: A Philippine impeachment court on Tuesday (Oct 13) granted\nprosecutors\u2019 request to drop two charges against Vice President Sara\nDuterte, including an alleged assassination threat against the\npresident, leaving accusations of unexplained wealth the sole remaining\ncount against her.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors, who last week requested a bribery charge be removed from\nthe case, asked Tuesday that allegations of misused funds and a death\nthreat made against President Ferdinand Marcos also be eliminated.<\/p>\n
Sara Duterte, daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, has been\non trial before the Philippine Senate for months, with conviction on any\nof four charges carrying a punishment of barring her from elected office\npermanently.<\/p>\n
The court is still weighing the last remaining charge, and thus she\ncould still be hit with a ban that would end her bid to become president\nin 2028 if found guilty.<\/p>\n
\u201cArticles 1, 3, and 4 shall no longer form part of the Articles of\nImpeachment \u2026 shall not be submitted to the members of the court for a\nvote or for a verdict of conviction or acquittal,\u201d Senator and presiding\nofficer Francis Escudero said in approving the motion.<\/p>\n
The unexpected move by prosecutors on the trial\u2019s 39th day came after\nthey presented weeks of evidence backing the now-dismissed charges.<\/p>\n
\u201cCOMPLETELY UNFAIR\u201d<\/p>\n
Chief prosecutor Gerville Luistro told the tribunal the decision\nwould ease the court\u2019s job and speed up the conclusion of the trial,\nwhich began on Jul 6.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe prosecution believes it has presented sufficient evidence for\nArticle 2 (unexplained wealth) to stand on its own,\u201d Luistro said,\nreferring to allegations that Duterte had failed to declare all her\nassets, something government officials are required by law to do each\nyear.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going all in here. We believe that the evidence is substantial\nand compelling and warrants the respondent\u2019s removal from office.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chief defence lawyer Sheila Sison called the ruling \u201ccompletely\nunfair\u201d, noting prosecutors had already put 14 witnesses on the stand to\nlay out evidence against the vice president.<\/p>\n
Last month, in a ruling widely seen as a blow to Duterte, the 24-seat\nSenate approved a lower threshold of votes needed to find her guilty,\npotentially making it easier to execute her ouster.<\/p>\n
With at least four senators loyal to the vice president now absent\nfrom the trial - two in jail, another in hiding and a fourth on extended\nmedical furlough abroad - only 14 votes are needed to find her\nguilty.<\/p>\n
Senators voted that the constitutionally required two-thirds guilty\nverdict by \u201call members of the Senate\u201d referred only to those \u201ccapable\nof participating\u201d.<\/p>\n
Despite her impeachment by the House of Representatives, the vice\npresident remains firmly in the lead in polling for the 2028\npresidential election, independent surveys show.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prosecutors-drop-most-impeachment-charges-against-philippine-vice-president-duterte-1791881410", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }