Former VP spokesman joins Duterte legal team
Credit to Author: Neil Jayson Servallos| Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — Former spokesman for the vice president Michael Poa has thrown his hat into the legal ring as Sara Duterte’s impeachment case is being challenged before the Supreme Court.
The SC’s Office of the Spokesperson confirmed the development on Monday, saying Poa filed his entry of appearance as co-counsel for Vice President Duterte.
Poa is joining Duterte’s seven-member legal team, which also includes former president Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President’s father.
In a statement, Poa said he decided to join Duterte’s legal team following discussions.
“In my view, the petition filed before the Supreme Court also raises constitutional questions/concerns that need to be addressed,” Poa said.
Poa and Duterte have worked together, first in the Department of Education, where he served as her chief of staff.
Following Duterte’s resignation from DepEd, Poa left the agency only to return as the Vice President’s spokesman.
He, however, left shortly after the OVP went under the microscope of the House of Representatives, saying his consultancy contract had been “pre-terminated.”
Commenting on Poa’s entry as Duterte’s co-counsel, House leaders said that although the move “raises questions,” it was already expected.
House assistant majority leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said Poa can now invoke lawyer-client confidentiality.
In an online press conference, Acidre pointed out that as former OVP spokesman, Poa is in a position to shed light on key issues surrounding the Vice President’s use of confidential funds.
However, by making him part of the defense team, the impeachment court may be prevented from compelling him to testify.
Acidre added that this move from Duterte’s camp seems to be another attempt to deflect attention from unanswered questions regarding the alleged misuse of public funds.
“If indeed, Atty. Mike Poa, who is our friend, would like to tell the truth, they have the opportunity to do so during the investigation of the committee on good government,” he said.
For her part, House assistant majority leader and Taguig Rep. Pammy Zamora echoed the same sentiment, noting that the strategy is “nothing new.”
“Former spokesman Michael Poa…he has been a part of their official family. Although, he left for a time. There is no doubt that he is a part of the official family,” Zamora said.
Zamora recalled that Poa had previously claimed he had no knowledge of certain details regarding the use of confidential funds, stating that they were beyond his scope as DepEd spokesman. She now expects that his position within Duterte’s legal team should allow him to provide answers.
Acidre, however, remained skeptical, emphasizing that Poa’s involvement in Duterte’s defense could be a deliberate maneuver to keep him from revealing critical information before the impeachment court.
Despite these concerns, Acidre said it remains to be seen whether Poa will choose to prioritize the truth over political considerations.
Urging the Senate to convene the impeachment court immediately, religious group People’s Impeachment Movement (PIM) is targeting to raise one million signatures per month beginning this Lent.
Fr. Joselito Sarabia, one of the signatories of the third impeachment complaint against Duterte, said the signature campaign would be their assignment this Lent.
“We hope to gather one million signatures before the Holy Week or up to the Pentecost,” said Sarabia.
Holy Week this year starts on April 13 (Palm Sunday) and ends on April 20 (Easter Sunday). The Pentecost, which marks the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, is on June 8.
According to the Senate’s timetable, they will begin the impeachment trial on July 30.
Sarabia said they are hoping that the signature campaign would snowball, with other individuals or groups showing their support and collecting signatures even online.
The collected signatures would be submitted to Senate President Francis Escudero.
“We are concerned by the delay of the impeachment trial. It is only Senator Escudero who has a different interpretation of the word ‘forthwith’ (in the Constitution) which is different from the interpretation of the constitutionalists,” said Sarabia.
It was reported that Christian Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, had said that the impeachment court “forthwith” as provided by the Constitution meant having to do so “immediately.”
Sarabia said there should be no cause for delay and that the Senate should immediately convene as an impeachment court and allow the presentation of evidence.
“Our appeal is for them to convene and present the evidence. The Filipino people are smart and hopefully, other senators will have a change of heart and convict Vice President Duterte,” he said.
They also believe there is no need for President Marcos to call for a special session.
The religious group is afraid that Duterte would go scot-free due to technicalities, like the case being carried over to the 20th Congress and getting dismissed, thereby requiring the filing of a new impeachment complaint.
Meanwhile, the group also symbolically burned palm fronds in order to turn them into ash, or abo. According to them, ABO stands for “Abusive Behavior and Oppression” of the Dutertes.
Sarabia, Fr. Flavie Villanueva and other members of the PIM held the “Sunog Sala, Kontra Abo” at the Sacred Heart Parish Shrine in Kamuning, Quezon City.
Present at the activity were some of the relatives of extrajudicial killing victims.
The burning of the palm fronds is part of the ritual in preparation for the observance of Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent.
The group highlighted the call for “public penance.”
“The imposition of ashes is a sign of repentance, to reject everything that is not for God,” Sarabia said.
“So we picked the seven deadly sins… which we think are acts committed by the Dutertes,” he added.
The seven deadly sins are envy, lust, pride, gluttony, sloth, wrath and greed.
He said that during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte, there have been accusations of rampant EJKs, cursing, disrespect of women and corruption.
“What we are saying is for the people to reject sin, and we are hoping that the people would reject the Dutertes because of the damage they have made to the moral consciousness of the Filipino people,” the priest said.
He added that the former leader and his daughter committed wrongdoings and that they and their allies should not be allowed to return to power.
In case he gets to sit as one of the senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Duterte, reelectionist Sen. Ronald dela Rosa said he would thoroughly study the pieces of evidence to be presented by both parties.
In an interview on “Storycon” on One News, Dela Rosa deflected insinuations that his mindset is to automatically vote for the acquittal of Duterte in the impeachment court.
“In impeachment, we know that that is a political exercise. So political leanings of the sitting senators will be a factor to that. But then again, with respect to the institution where I belong, I have not said anything yet that I will not vote for her conviction,” Dela Rosa said when asked to react on calls for senators perceived to be pro-Duterte to inhibit themselves as impeachment court judges. — Jose Rodel Clapano, Evelyn Macairan