Niresbakan ni Vice President Sara Duterte si private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan matapos nitong tawaging “bully” si lead defense counsel Atty. Sheila Sison sa isang press conference matapos ang impeachment trial noong Martes, Oktubre 13. Sa pahayag na inilabas ni VP Sara sa kaniyang social media page nitong Miyerkules, Oktubre 14, inilarawan niya ito bilang “David the aggressor against Goliath.” “Lorna Kapunan calling a defense counsel a bully is like calling David the aggressor against Goliath. It is a convenient way to vilify the person defending against an overwhelming display of political power,” saad ni VP Sara sa kaniyang pahayag. Aniya, “You threatened, intimidated, and hauled OVP personnel to detention. You started impeachment with allegations but failed to establish them with compelling evidence. You wielded the subpoena powers of the House of Representatives, yet failed to produce what was needed to substantiate your accusations. You then brought the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, seemingly hoping that the impeachment trial would somehow make up for what was missing from the beginning. After all that, where is the evidence?” “Meanwhile, allegations of cash distribution and political maneuvering surrounding the 2027 national budget raise troubling questions. Is the budget being used to serve the Filipino people, or has it become a bargaining chip to pressure senators who will sit as judges and reward those who vote ‘yes’ in the House of Representatives? And what exactly is the defense counsel’s role in these alleged political transactions? None. She is simply doing her job. Since 2023, the defense team has devoted countless hours to preparing for this case, sacrificing sleep, family time, and peace of mind to study documents and prepare their defense,” dagdag pa niya. Idiniin din ng Pangalawang Pangulo ang ebidensya at “genuine accountability” kaysa sa aniya’y “arrogance” at “political persecution.” “The public deserves better than political theater disguised as accountability. If impeachment and the national budget are being used as instruments of political survival of the corrupt, then it is the people—not the defense counsel—who are being taken for granted,” anang Pangalawang Pangulo. Aniya pa, “So spare us the arrogance and the name-calling. A defense counsel does not become a bully simply because she refuses to let your accusations go unchallenged. And if accountability is truly your battle cry, apply it consistently—even to the President, who is firm that a drug habit is not about accountability.” “Evidence, not arrogance. Genuine accountability, not political persecution,” pagtatapos ni VP Sara. Samantala, wala namang direktang reaksiyon o pahayag si Atty. Sison kaugnay dito. #Balita #SaraDuterte #SheilaSison #LornaKapunan #Bully @Manila Bulletin - @balitaphl