Sara leaves impeachment to God’s will

MANILA, Philippines — Whatever the outcome of the move to impeach her “is written by God,” Vice President Sara Duterte said, as House members have been given a one-week window to study the Articles of Impeachment against her.

“Based on our discussion earlier with (former) president (Rodrigo) Duterte, everything that happens in a person’s life is written by God. So, if I am impeached, that is written by God. If I am not impeached, see you…” Duterte said yesterday in an interview in The Hague, Netherlands.

“The second thing I am thankful for is the support for me as I am facing the impeachment, which is being fabricated by the House of Representatives and being supported by some senators,” she added.

In a unanimous vote, members of the justice committee of the House of Representatives approved the report containing the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, triggering its submission to the plenary.

House committee on justice chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro said that all 318 members of the House are given until Sunday to study and assess the Articles of Impeachment ahead of the plenary vote on May 11.

Duterte will not be in the Philippines when the plenary vote will be held as her overseas trip will be until May 15. After the Netherlands, she will travel to South Korea, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Duterte said it’s “unfair to drag her family” after her husband Manases Carpio was mentioned during the impeachment proceedings where the Anti-Money Laundering Council said it repeatedly flagged bank accounts tied to her and Carpio for covered and suspicious transactions worth a total of P6.77 billion.