House prosecution urges Senate to proceed with VP Sara Duterte's impeachment trial

The House prosecution panel filed its reply to Vice President Sara Duterte's Answer Ad Cautelam on Friday, urging the Senate Impeachment Court to proceed with the trial.

Prosecutors reiterated their request for the court to convict Duterte and remove her from office permanently, asserting that her defense is riddled with 'falsehoods, misleading claims, and baseless procedural objections.'

They rejected Duterte's call for case dismissal without a trial, describing her legal tactics as an attempt to delay or dismiss proceedings rather than answer charges.

The prosecution emphasized that the Articles of Impeachment contain sufficient evidence warranting a full trial and stressed that no individual is above the law, noting that the verified complaint was filed on Feb. 5 within constitutional requirements.

Prosecutors also countered Duterte's arguments regarding Senate jurisdiction, claiming she misinterpreted previous legal decisions and invoked Supreme Court rulings inaccurately.