By Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores
MANILA (Reuters) -Philippine prosecutors said on Wednesday there was no stopping the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, expressing bemusement at why the Senate convened a court before swiftly returning the case to the lower house.
The impeachment of Duterte, a likely contender for the 2028 presidency, has dominated headlines in the Philippines this year after a high-profile grudge match between her and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr that spiralled into a bitter battle for power and influence.
The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in February to impeach Duterte for betrayal of public trust and high crimes, referring the case to the Senate to convene a trial. Duterte insists the impeachment is politically motivated and denies wrongdoing.
But the Senate on Tuesday sent the case back to the lower house, requiring it to certify that it was lawful, a move some critics said was a tactic to try to thwart the impeachment.
The decision prompted wider outrage, including from legal and church groups, who said it was a betrayal of the constitution and a shirking of the Senate’s responsibility to hold public officials accountable.
Congresswoman Gerville Luistro, a member of the impeachment prosecution panel, said the lower house had fulfilled its duty and the Senate’s issuance of a summons to Duterte to answer charges meant it already had jurisdiction over the case.
“No one can stop this anymore,” Luistro told a press conference, adding the prosecution’s case was strong and backed by ample evidence. “We are certain that the complaint is strictly and fully compliant with the requirements of the constitution.”
POLITICAL MANOEUVRE
The popular daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte has been accused of budget irregularities, amassing unexplained wealth, and threatening the lives of Marcos, the first lady and and the house speaker. She faces a lifetime political ban if convicted.
Senator Imee Marcos, the president’s sister and now an ally of the Duterte, said there was justification in the Senate’s decision and called the impeachment bid a political manoeuvre to keep Duterte out of the 2028 presidential race.
Marcos has distanced himself from the impeachment and his office on Wednesday said the president was busy and not following the trial. Duterte’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Marcos, who is limited to a single term, is expected to groom a successor who can preserve his influence and legacy and defeat Duterte if she is acquitted and runs for the presidency.
Outside the upper house on Wednesday, hundreds of protesters braved the rain, carrying banners demanding accountability from Duterte and calling the senators “cowards” and “traitors”.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, a prominent church group, said the decision was a betrayal of the public trust.
“Allow the constitutional process to proceed without obstruction. If there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear,” its president said.
(Reporting by Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores; Additional reporting by Lisa David)
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