VICE President Sara Duterte said she was not consulted by the group of lawyers who filed a petition before the Supreme Court of the Philippines seeking to stop the impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives against her, adding that she has left the matter to her legal team.
"Kasi hindi ko na iniisip ang impeachment sa panahon ngayon. Iniwan ko na yan lahat sa mga abogado (Because I am no longer thinking about the impeachment at this time. I have already left all of that to the lawyers)," she said during a media interview on Saturday, March 28, 2026, after the Parada Dabawenyo.
Duterte said she is grateful to independent lawyers who are not part of her defense team but have taken action to uphold the Constitution and question what she described as the “abusive” impeachment process.
She added that her priority is to assist Filipinos, noting continued public calls for help. She said the Office of the Vice President will continue providing assistance to the public.
On March 27, 2026, lawyers allied with Duterte filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition, with a prayer for a writ of preliminary injunction, before the Supreme Court, seeking to stop the impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives.
Lawyer Israelito Torren said during a press conference that the petition aims to address constitutional issues in the impeachment process and not to protect the vice president.
“We are asking the court to decide whether the House Committee on Justice may keep preliminary complaints alive by relaxing rules and using subpoenas to substantiate claims,” he said.
The impeachment complaints against the Vice President include allegations of misuse of government funds, accumulation of wealth disproportionate to her income, and plotting against senior officials.
Asked about the presence of Duterte allies during the Parada Dabawenyo, she said Davao City welcomes everyone.
She said she is not close to everyone who attended, noting she only knows Kiko Barzaga from the 2022 campaign and that it was only her second time meeting Rowena Guanzon.
Duterte also expressed surprise at the presence of visitors from outside Davao who have shown support for her potential presidential candidacy.
"Kaya nakakataba ng puso na merong hindi taga-Davao na pareho ang narararamdaman ng karamihan ng mga Dabawenyo, lalong-lao na sa celebration ng Araw ng Dabaw (It’s heartwarming that there are people who are not from Davao but feel the same way as most Dabawenyos, especially during the celebration of Araw ng Dabaw)," she said. RGP