House serves impeachment papers to VP Duterte

The House prosecution team formally served an 'Entry with Motion to Issue Summons' to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Wednesday, March 26, notifying Vice President Sara Duterte of the impeachment proceedings initiated against her.

Representatives Marcelino Libanan and Rodge Gutierrez led the filing of this formal pleading as part of the impeachment proceedings initiated by the House of Representatives, urging Senate President Chiz Escudero to issue a writ of summons requiring Vice President Duterte to respond within ten days.

Senate President Chiz Escudero has tentatively set the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte for July 30, while Libanan argued that the timeline should be moved up based on Rule VII of Resolution No. 39 dated March 23, 1986.

Vice President Duterte is currently in The Netherlands supporting her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, as the trial is scheduled to proceed after President Marcos' State of the Nation Address in July.

House Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor defended the prosecution panel's decision to request the summons, asserting that it is within the bounds of law and Senate rules on impeachment trials.