Vice President Sara Duterte forcefully asserted today that presidential opinions hold no weight in impeachment proceedings, insisting that the process must strictly adhere to the Constitution and due process. 

Reacting to recent political commentary surrounding a pending trial, Duterte defended a respondent’s right to be represented solely by counsel, framing the decision to skip personal testimony as a legitimate legal strategy. 

"The opinion of a President in an impeachment proceeding is of no importance," Vice President Duterte stated categorically in an official release on Monday. 

"The integrity of an impeachment trial depends on adherence to the rule of law—not on whether the respondent personally takes the stand." The Vice President continued.

Duterte firmly pushed back against critics who view a refusal to testify personally as an admission of guilt or a dodge of public accountability. 

She emphasized that the burden of proof rests entirely on the prosecution, and utilizing legal representation is a protected constitutional right that does not diminish transparency. 

"Choosing to appear through counsel rather than testify personally does not diminish accountability or imply a lack of transparency," the Vice President maintained, shifting the focus back onto legal standards rather than political theater.

Closing her statement with a sharp rebuke of speculative political commentary, the Vice President urged public officials to separate personal rhetoric from legal realities. 

She argued that governance and accountability are hollow when driven by subjective viewpoints instead of verified truths. 

"At all times, public officials are best served by keeping their personal opinions to themselves and relying instead on the law, established policies, scientific evidence, and objective facts when addressing matters of public concern," VP Duterte said.

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