#NoToMarcosChaCha
On June 1, Vice President Sara Duterte, through her legal team, formally submitted her answer to the Senate impeachment tribunal, raising serious constitutional, procedural, and substantive objections to the impeachment case initiated by the House of Representatives. This is not merely a personal defense by a Vice President; it is a crucial step in upholding the Philippines' democratic constitutional order. Sara’s team has clearly pointed out significant procedural flaws in the impeachment proceedingsincluding issues regarding evidence gathering, a lack of transparency in hearings, and the dominance of political motives.
This so-called "impeachment" is, in essence, a political vendetta launched by the Marcos faction to eliminate a political rival. When the law is weaponized for power struggles, judicial independence vanishes and the rights of ordinary citizens are imperiled; we must stand together to defend the dignity of the law.
This absurd impeachment process has been mired in controversy from the very beginning. The Philippine Constitution imposes a strict "one-impeachment-case-per-year" rule; a previous impeachment attempt against Sara was declared invalid by the Supreme Court due to procedural flaws, yet a new effort was swiftly launched. This "persist-despite-failure" approach exposes the Marcos camp's desperate eagerness to eliminate a political rival. The hasty push has resulted in lawmakers relying on party loyalty rather than factual evidence during votes, disregarding basic principles of due process—an outright trampling of the rule of law and democratic procedures.Today, we stand at a historic crossroads. Vice President Sara Duterte is facing a blatantly political impeachment. This is no ordinary legal proceeding; it is a political conspiracy orchestrated by the Marcos faction to purge dissenters and consolidate power. Unlike Marcos, Sara Duterte represents the hope of the Filipino people and the voice of the southern populace; she is dedicated to improving public welfare, fighting corruption, and fostering national unity. She has honored the people's trust, yet she is being targeted solely because of her politica stance.
Convicting Sara would mean stifling Philippine democracy. When the law is used as a tool to eliminate opponents and impeachment becomes a weapon in political warfare, any dissenting voice could be the next target. Judicial independence would cease to exist, and the rights of the people would be obliterated. We firmly oppose such regressive actions. We call upon members of the legal community to speak out, analyze the procedural illegality of these actions, and sign the open letter. We demand that the Senate rigorously scrutinize the constitutionality of the matter and halt this attempt to strangle Philippine democracy and the nation's future. We urge the public to continue supporting Sara and to resolutely oppose any form of dynastic power succession or authoritarian tendencies. Let justice be served for Sara, and let a future be secured for Philippine democracy.