By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – Malacañang said Friday that Vice President Sara Duterte may run for president in the 2028 elections if she is cleared of any impeachable offense.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said no one could prevent the Vice President from seeking the presidency if she proves she is not liable for any impeachable offense.
“Kung mapapatunayan ng Bise Presidente na siya ay walang bahid ng anumang impeachable offense, walang makakapigil sa kanyang tumakbo at mangarap na maging pangulo ng bansa sa susunod na eleksyon (If the Vice President can prove that she is not guilty of any impeachable offense, no one can prevent her from running and aspiring to become the country’s president in the next election),” Castro said in a statement.
She noted that impeachment proceedings must strictly follow the Constitution.
The Senate is acting within constitutional bounds in handling the impeachment case, she said, adding that if Duterte survives the trial because of political support rather than the evidence presented, the Filipino people will make their own judgment.
“Kung malalampasan niya ang impeachment trial hindi dahil sa ebidensya kundi dahil sa kanyang mga kaalyado, bahala na ang taumbayan ang magpasya rito (If she overcomes the impeachment trial not because of the evidence but because of her allies, then it will be up to the Filipino people to decide),” Castro said.
“Ngunit sa ngayon ang sinusunod lamang ng Senado ay kung ano ang isinisaad ng Konstitusyon (But for now, the Senate is only following what is provided under the Constitution).”.
She urged all parties to respect the proceedings and avoid politicizing the impeachment process.
“Proseso ito. Dapat lang igalang ang proseso at huwag pulitikahin pati ang proseso (This is a process. It should be respected and the process itself should not be politicized),” she said.
Castro issued the statement after Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, in a recent interview in The Hague, Netherlands, claimed that the impeachment trial against his sister is intended to prevent her from running in the 2028 presidential election. (PNA)
