VP Sara Duterte defense team holds press briefing — June 1

[3:11] I just wanted to introduce the team. [3:19] Beside me is attorney Mark Binluan, [3:21] attorney Carlo Joaquin Narvaza, [3:25] attorney David Tola, [3:27] attorney Carl. [3:32] We just wanted to officially state [3:38] that the vice president through counsel [3:40] has filed her answer just a few minutes ago [3:43] before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. [3:47] Basically, this is without prejudice. [3:49] Of course, the defending Supreme Court condition [3:52] that we filed. [3:54] And malamang ang tanong nyo is [3:57] ano yung laman ng answer? [3:59] So, I can only talk about it in broad strokes. [4:03] I don't want to discuss the details. [4:05] But the answer sets forth basically [4:07] the defenses of the vice president [4:09] as well as of course, [4:10] yung mga nakikita nating [4:12] constitutional infirmities or defects [4:14] and what we feel na substantively deficient [4:18] yung mga allegations laban sa ating vice president. [4:22] Sa ngayon po, [4:23] humingi rin ako ng paumanin sa inyo [4:26] sa mga networks lalo na [4:27] hindi po muna kami magpapa-unlock [4:30] ng mga interviews [4:31] until such time as [4:32] pre-trial or trial begins. [4:35] Kasi we also want to respect the Senate [4:39] and according to the rules, [4:41] the impeachment rules of the Senate, [4:43] in fact, under paragraph 18, [4:45] pinagbabawalan po ang mga parties [4:48] to discuss yung merits [4:50] ng kaso public. [4:52] So, kami naman po, [4:53] susunod lang po kami [4:55] at magpapa-unlock naman po kami [4:56] lalo na sa trial. [4:57] In fact, si Atty. Bidluan [4:59] and si Atty. Narvaza [5:00] will be helping me [5:02] with a spokesperson [5:04] para po lahat mapagbigyan. [5:07] At from day to day, [5:09] magpapa-unlock naman kami ng interview [5:10] para po maintindihan [5:12] ng ating mga kababayan [5:13] kung ano yung mga nagaganap [5:15] sa bawat araw-araw ng trial. [5:19] Sa ngayon po, [5:20] talagang, I guess, [5:21] pasensya na po talaga, [5:22] hindi muna kami magpapa-interview [5:23] whether it be a printer. [5:25] First and foremost, [5:37] ang gusto natin [5:38] ay sana ma-dismiss [5:39] itong Articles of Impeachment [5:42] laban sa kanya. [5:43] But kung ano man na mangyari, [5:45] handa naman kaming [5:46] defensahan [5:47] ang ating vice-presidente. [5:49] So, with that, [5:50] I think I just want to make this [5:51] as informal as possible. [5:54] Hindi naman ito formal press one. [5:55] So, siguro po, [5:57] kung meron pa yung mga tanong, [5:58] pwede na po na kaming tanongin. [6:01] Sipa namin sa good-sigot. [6:02] Pusa na po siya, [6:03] Pusunod lang po siya. [6:04] Okay naman po siya. [6:06] Business as usual lang po parate [6:08] ang ating vice-presidente. [6:10] Ture-ture lang po yung trabaho niya. [6:11] Kaya nga niya, [6:12] pinuo itong legal team [6:13] ng maaga [6:14] para masigurado siya [6:15] dahil alam naman natin, [6:16] in-anticipate na natin [6:17] itong impeachment [6:18] laban sa kanya. [6:19] In fact, [6:19] meron ang first round last year. [6:21] So, talagang [6:22] pinuo na niya itong [6:23] defense team [6:24] nang sa galon, [6:24] kahit may impeachment, [6:26] ay hindi po [6:26] na-hamper [6:28] o hindi natitigil [6:29] yung trabaho ng ating [6:30] definitely po. [6:43] Definitely. [6:44] Ang isang answer [6:45] kami naman po [6:46] ay mga apogado lamang. [6:47] So, [6:48] kung ano man na isusulat namin doon, [6:50] dapat talaga [6:50] ng gagaling sa vice-presidente, [6:52] lalong-lalo na, [6:53] di ba, [6:54] na pinasa talaga niya [6:55] yung aming answer. [6:57] At as naman, [6:58] nagpapatunay [6:58] na lahat nang nakasulat doon [6:59] ay nakasaad ng mga depensa [7:01] para sa kanya. [7:02] Ngayon po, [7:03] siguro, [7:03] take ko na rin yung opportunity [7:04] to thank, [7:05] of course, [7:06] the Senate. [7:07] Napaka-smooth po [7:08] ng pagpasok namin dito. [7:09] Wala pong kaguluhan. [7:10] We'd like to thank the media [7:11] also for cooperating. [7:13] So, [7:13] I just wanted to take the opportunity [7:15] on behalf of the defense team [7:16] and of course, [7:16] on behalf of the vice-president [7:17] also thank the Senate po [7:19] kasi naging napaka-orderny [7:21] itong pagpapayal namin [7:22] ng aming answer. [7:33] Well, [7:34] that is without prejudice, [7:35] of course, [7:36] doon sa ating [7:37] Supreme Court petition. [7:38] Hindi naman po [7:39] kasi incompatible yan. [7:41] Maaari namang, [7:42] sa ngayon, [7:43] alam naman natin, [7:43] di naman naglabas [7:45] ng TRO, [7:46] for example, [7:46] ng Supreme Court, [7:47] talaga namang maaari [7:48] magpaduloy itong proceedings. [7:49] At kami naman po [7:50] ay magpa-participate. [7:51] But again, [7:52] our participation [7:52] is without prejudice [7:54] doon sa mga [7:54] constitutional infirmities [7:56] na nakita natin [7:56] at kaya tayo [7:57] nag-high-end [7:58] ng petisyon [7:59] sa Supreme Court. [8:04] Actually, [8:05] ang summary po [8:07] ng answer namin [8:07] is we really [8:08] just set forth [8:09] yung nasabi ko [8:10] nga kanina, [8:11] yung defenses [8:11] ng vice-president, [8:13] yung nakita nating [8:14] mga infirmities [8:15] kahit doon sa [8:15] naganap na [8:16] committee on justice [8:17] proceedings. [8:18] Isa na dyan, [8:19] syempre, [8:20] yung sinasabi natin [8:21] na wala namang [8:22] ebedensyang [8:23] naka-attach [8:25] sa mga impeachment [8:26] complaints [8:26] at yung mga [8:27] ebedensya [8:27] o mano [8:28] na inilabas [8:30] ay inilabas [8:31] lamang [8:32] o nag-call up [8:33] lamang doon [8:33] sa committee proceedings [8:34] after we have already [8:35] filed our answer [8:36] before the committee [8:37] on justice. [8:39] Ito yung mga bagay [8:39] na nire-raise namin [8:41] sa aming answer [8:43] at maliban doon, [8:45] in-address din namin [8:46] yung bawat article, [8:48] yung mga allegations [8:49] sa bawat article, [8:50] in-address din namin [8:51] yan sa aming sakot. [8:52] Ako naman po [8:53] ay magbibigay po [8:54] on behalf of the [8:54] defense team [8:55] ng executive summary [8:57] sa ating mga kasamaan [8:58] sa media [8:58] dahil alam namin [9:00] na gusto nyo pong [9:01] malaman man lang [9:02] kahit in broad strokes [9:03] kung ano yung [9:04] laman ng answer. [9:05] It's just that, [9:06] of course, [9:06] we don't want to [9:07] litigate our case [9:08] through the media [9:10] and yun nga po, [9:12] meron tayong rules [9:13] on prohibiting us [9:15] from discussing [9:16] the merits publicly. [9:18] So magbibigay lang po kami [9:19] ng executive summary [9:20] sa inyo [9:21] para may magamit [9:22] naman po kayo [9:22] ng material [9:23] at makita nyo [9:24] naman po [9:24] kung ano yung [9:25] basically the gist [9:27] yung naging sagot. [9:30] It's, well, [9:33] the nomenclature [9:35] is it's an answer [9:36] but obviously [9:37] our answers being filed [9:38] without prejudice [9:39] doon sa aming [9:40] Supreme Court petition. [9:48] Yes, of course, [9:49] it's always going to be [9:49] one of our prayers [9:50] dahil nga sa tingin namin [9:52] ay naging infirm [9:53] yung may mga infirmities, [9:55] yung proceedings [9:56] bago pa umakyat [9:57] sa Senado [9:58] itong Articles of Impeachment. [10:00] But having said that, [10:02] sabi ko nga [10:03] maliban doon, [10:04] sumagod din kami [10:05] on the substantive issues. [10:10] Of course, [10:10] kaya po kami nandito [10:11] dahil, [10:13] yun nga, [10:13] parating sinasabi [10:14] kailan naharap [10:15] si VP [10:16] but I think [10:16] we have to contextualize [10:17] yung pag-aharap. [10:18] The fact that [10:18] we filed an answer now [10:20] kung naharap na ni VP [10:21] itong mga [10:22] paratang laban sa namin. [10:30] Oh, well, [10:31] the documents, [10:31] dumami lang po yun [10:32] dahil syempre [10:33] meron tayong mga annexes, [10:34] mga attachments [10:35] doon sa ating answer [10:37] kaya po marami yun. [10:38] But the answer itself [10:40] is around 50 pages. [10:42] Pasama na dyan [10:42] yung signature pages. [10:44] So, [10:44] nasa ganun lang po [10:45] yung answer natin. [10:47] But, [10:48] baka kung magmulat kayo [10:49] medyo nakamaleta nga [10:51] but that's because [10:52] marami lang po talaga [10:53] mga annexes. [10:55] Copies, [10:56] we have to give [10:57] five copies [10:58] as required [10:59] by the impeachment. [11:00] Itong iba [11:01] maleta, [11:01] documents po? [11:04] Documents po. [11:05] Documents. [11:05] Although wala na pong laman yan [11:06] dahil na-file na po namin [11:08] ng ating answer. [11:16] Yes, [11:16] that's one of the prayers [11:17] sa answer namin [11:19] na sinasabi namin [11:21] meron ng infirmities [11:23] yung naging proceedings. [11:24] That's why [11:25] we feel that [11:26] it warrants dismissal. [11:28] Also, [11:28] we have raised [11:30] our objections [11:30] on the alleged [11:32] pieces of evidence [11:33] against the Vice President. [11:35] By the way, [11:36] sinasabi nga natin [11:37] and we have to reiterate [11:38] yung mga pieces [11:39] of evidence na yan [11:40] na hindi naman [11:41] naka-attempt [11:41] sa original complaints [11:42] and itong mga [11:44] pieces of evidence [11:45] na to [11:46] ay nakalak lang [11:47] noong ongoing [11:49] yung proceedings [11:50] ng Committee on Justice [11:52] and after [11:53] we have gathered answers. [11:54] So, [11:54] to us, [11:55] you know, [11:56] this goes into [11:57] basic tenets [11:58] of due process. [12:02] Kung kinakailangan, [12:04] sa ngayon, [12:05] you know, [12:06] we don't really want [12:07] to box ourselves in [12:08] kung kailan. [12:09] Diba? [12:09] Kasi parating yan [12:10] yung tanong. [12:10] But kung kinakailangan [12:11] naman, [12:12] we'll have to see [12:13] that will have to be [12:14] determined, no, [12:15] to hang on [12:16] on the developments [12:17] of the proceedings. [12:25] Well, [12:25] actually, [12:26] lahat. [12:27] Lahat ng mga [12:28] lumabas. [12:28] I'm sure you were [12:29] following the hearings, [12:31] no? [12:31] So, [12:32] AMLOC reports, [12:33] for example, [12:33] lahat yan, [12:34] no? [12:34] Wala naman yan sa [12:35] hindi yan naka-attached [12:38] sa original impeachment. [12:46] Well, [12:46] we raised an opposition [12:48] and our objections [12:49] basically on [12:50] the admissibility [12:52] of pieces of evidence. [12:53] So, [12:54] but we'll see. [12:55] We'll see. [12:56] Siyempre, [12:56] ang ultimate prayer [12:57] talaga namin [12:57] ay mag-dismiss. [13:00] Tayo po kasi [13:04] ay depensa. [13:05] So, [13:06] tayo ay maghihintay muna. [13:08] Of course, [13:09] we have witnesses [13:10] in mind, [13:11] but as to the details, [13:12] hintayin muna natin [13:13] kasi ang burden [13:14] of evidence dito [13:15] ay nasa prosecution. [13:17] So, [13:18] once they present [13:19] their evidence, [13:20] doon natin [13:20] mag-determine [13:21] kung ano ba yung [13:21] kailangan natin [13:22] ipresenta [13:23] to rebot [13:23] whatever they present. [13:24] The vice president po, [13:32] the vice president. [13:34] Well, [13:34] we are confident. [13:35] Well, [13:41] not just the proceedings, [13:43] ma'am. [13:43] We question the proceedings, [13:45] but we also, [13:46] as part of our answer, [13:49] talagang sinagotin natin [13:50] yung substantive [13:51] in the part, [13:52] meaning the allegations [13:53] themselves, [13:54] the four articles. [13:55] As I said, [14:04] ultimately, [14:05] siyempre, [14:05] it is may cellphone [14:06] ng articles [14:07] of impeachment. [14:09] Titignan natin [14:09] kung ano yung [14:10] nangyayari [14:11] sa proceedings, [14:11] and we will participate [14:14] and definitely [14:14] we will abide [14:16] by what is [14:16] constitutionally permissible [14:18] and the constitutional [14:18] processes laid out. [14:25] Yeah, [14:26] itay lang po natin [14:26] yung development [14:28] ng proceedings. [14:29] No, [14:30] it's not really [14:30] the summons. [14:31] It depends [14:32] kasi kung ano yung [14:33] takbo ng proceedings. [14:34] I cannot tell you [14:35] exactly kung ano yun, [14:37] but tingnan muna natin [14:38] pa paano tumakbo [14:39] yung proceedings. [14:44] Nakita ko, [14:44] I don't know if that's [14:45] official. [14:47] May nakita lang ako [14:48] sa SOC Media [14:49] taa kanina. [14:50] I don't know [14:51] if that's official. [14:52] But whatever is [14:52] the official calendar, [14:53] we will just abide by that. [15:01] Of course, [15:02] alam nyo, [15:02] parati kong sinasabi, [15:04] parati namin sinasabi [15:05] sa defense team, [15:07] we should always give [15:08] the senator judges [15:11] the benefit of the doubt. [15:12] Although, [15:13] we have to admit [15:14] and we're not naive [15:14] to the fact that [15:15] impeachment is both [15:17] a political [15:17] and a legal process, [15:19] we believe [15:20] in political neutrality [15:22] of the senator judges. [15:23] So, [15:24] kung meron mang [15:25] partiality, [15:26] wag pong muna [15:26] natin bigyan ng badge [15:29] of any partiality [15:30] kahit siyong senator, [15:31] mapa pro or anti, [15:33] hindi ba? [15:34] We have to give [15:35] the senator judges [15:36] the benefit of the doubt [15:37] and we submit [15:38] whatever happens. [15:54] Yes, [15:54] because as far as [15:55] we're concerned, [15:56] we're very confident [15:56] with our legal position. [15:58] We are very confident [15:59] that wala namang [16:01] nagawang impeachable offense [16:03] ang ating vice-presidente. [16:04] But, [16:05] these things will be [16:06] threshold. [16:06] It will depend [16:07] on the pieces of evidence [16:09] that we presented, [16:09] the witnesses [16:10] that will be presenting [16:11] those pieces of evidence. [16:13] So, [16:14] hindi natin alam, [16:15] susunod lang tayo [16:16] kung ano yung maging schedule. [16:18] But tayo, [16:18] we are ready [16:19] to confront all of these. [16:29] Well, [16:30] again, [16:31] I will just have to [16:33] restate [16:34] what I said earlier. [16:35] we have raised [16:36] what we saw [16:38] or what we believe in [16:39] as constitutional infirmities, [16:42] defects [16:43] in the procedure, [16:45] and also [16:45] the deficiency [16:46] on the substantive [16:47] aspect [16:48] of these allegations. [16:49] we feel that [16:50] the allegations [16:51] do not rise [16:53] to the level [16:53] of impeachable offenses [16:54] against the vice-president. [16:56] So, [16:57] and for that, [16:57] you know, [16:58] those are the grounds [16:59] by which [16:59] we think [17:00] this missile [17:01] is warranted. [17:02] But, [17:04] like I said, [17:05] let's see [17:05] how things turn out. [17:07] Basta tayo's defense team, [17:09] we are definitely ready [17:10] to provide [17:11] the vice-president [17:12] with the best defense. [17:15] Thank you. [17:16] Thank you very much. [17:17] Thank you.