The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives prosecutors for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte said they deemed it unnecessary to submit a reply to her response to the articles of impeachment against her. "Under the applicable rules, the allegations and defenses in the Answer are deemed controverted even without a Reply. More fundamentally, the Answer raises no material factual issue that requires a responsive pleading,” the prosecutors said in a manifestation filed before the Senate impeachment court on Monday. “It does not meaningfully engage the factual allegations in the Articles of Impeachment, but instead concentrates on procedural, jurisdictional, and constitutional objections directed against the continuation of the proceedings," they added. In substance, “the Answer does not function as a genuine response to the charges,” said the manifestation. The manifestation comes after the House impeached Duterte on May 11, 2026 over her alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, alleged bribery, and her “kill” remark against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in November 2024. It sent the impeachment articles to the Senate on May 13. Duterte denied the allegations in the two impeachment complaints.
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