Vice President Sara Duterte has departed for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on a personal trip with her family, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) confirmed on Tuesday, June 10, amid the Senate's preparations to move forward with her impeachment trial.
“Vice President Sara Duterte is travelling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on a personal trip with her family,” the OVP said in an official statement.
The OVP noted that Duterte is scheduled to attend the Independence Day celebration and is set to engage in a program consultation with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) on June 12.
The trip comes as the Senate formally begins proceedings for Duterte’s impeachment trial.
On Monday night, June 9, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero took his oath as the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court, which is set to hear the charges against the Vice President.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s legal team has maintained that the impeachment complaint lacks constitutional grounding, but said they are prepared to face the charges should the Senate move forward with the trial.
Senators will be sworn in as impeachment court judges at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, ahead of the Senate’s formal convening as an impeachment court on Wednesday, June 11.
