VP Sara Duterte: I will be bloodied but unbowed

Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) went to the Senate to convene with her defense team in the impeachment trial filed against her for alleged misuse government funds, unexplained wealth, among others.

The VP did not attend the impeachment hearing but issued a brief statement to reporters where she cited a notable quote from a British poet: “In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed.”

The statement is a quote from William Ernest Henley’s poem titled “Invictus” in 1875.

On Monday (July 6, 2026), the first day of the impeachment trial, Duterte posted a statement on her Facebook page.

She defended her decision not to appear in person for the impeachment hearings despite a statement from the Palace that the VP must face the allegations against her.

Duterte wrote: "The opinion of a President in an impeachment proceeding is of no importance. Impeachment proceedings must be guided by the Constitution and due process. The respondent has the right to be represented by counsel, and the decision to personally testify is a matter of legal strategy and constitutional rights."

Choosing to appear through counsel will not diminish accountability or lead to a lack of transparency, the Vice President said.

She said the integrity of the impeachment trial will depend on adherence to the rule of law, and not on asking the respondent to appear before the impeachment court.Duterte, a lawyer, also stated that in legal cases, "The burden remains on the prosecution to prove its case."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.

STATEMENT OF THE PROSECUTORS ON DAY 1

On July 6, 2026, the first day of the impeachment trial,. Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro defended the relevance of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, arguing that the proceedings are ultimately about protecting taxpayers' money and ensuring that public officials are held accountable.

Delivering the prosecution's opening statement before the Senate Impeachment Court, Luistro acknowledged that many Filipinos may view the trial as detached from the economic struggles they face every day. But she said the case directly concerns the public because it involves government funds and the people's trust.

“Many Filipinos are asking us now: why is this trial important? What is its relevance to the lives of ordinary Filipinos? We understand the reason behind these questions. To be honest, a driver has been asking us how would their income be enough to feed their families?”

Luistro said public officials should be held to the same, if not higher, standards of accountability as ordinary employees, noting that rank-and-file workers are routinely investigated or sanctioned for mishandling funds.

“If an employee commits an error in handling a company’s funds, they are asked to explain. When a barangay treasurer cannot explain the missing funds, they are investigated. If a principal misuses public funds, even if that’s just P5,000, they are penalized.”

“It’s natural that the people will ask questions: if ordinary Filipinos are held accountable, why can’t we do the same for the most powerful officials of the land? This is the reason why this trial is important—not to persecute a certain individual, not to exact revenge, and not to win in politics.”

-Paraluman News