MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Sara Duterte will not appear before the House Justice Commitee on her first impeachment hearing, according to the spokesman of her defense team.
"Yes, she will not attend," Michael Wesley Poa told The Manila Times through a phone interview on Tuesday night.
The House Justice Commitee extended its invitation to Duterte to attend the first hearing on Wednesday, March 25, to answer the allegations raised against her.
House Justice Committee chairman and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said Duterte’s presence during the hearings is “significant” since she needs to question the evidence of the complainants and provide basis for the committee in voting on the complaint.
