Palace: Sara wants impeachment trial to be a ‘bloodbath’

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro holds a printed meme featuring Vice President Sara Duterte quoting William Ernest Henley during a press briefing in Malacañang on July 8, 2026. In a brief statement to the press at the Senate on July 7, Duterte used a line from Henley’s famous poem “Invictus” to reiterate her ‘bloodbath’ analogy of the impeachment trial. (Courtesy: RTVM / Screenshot)

Malacañang on Wednesday pushed back against Vice President Sara Duterte’s description of her impeachment trial as a “bloodbath” and “bludgeoning,” with Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro saying it is Duterte herself who wanted a “bloodbath” and that the proceedings are meant to establish the truth.

Meanwhile, the House prosecution panel said it would present another witness to testify on the alleged hitman mentioned by Duterte in a November 2024 online press conference.

Castro made the remarks a day after Duterte appeared at the Senate and declared: “In this bloodbath, in this bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed,” a line adapted from the popular poem “Invictus.”

“Feeling niya na bloodbath ito at alam naman natin na ito ang kanyang hiniling. Siya mismo ang nagnanais ng isang bloodbath (She feels that this is a bloodbath, and we all know that this is what she wanted. She herself wished for a bloodbath),” Castro said.

Castro noted that Duterte’s quote had a literary source.

“We heard and watched her say, ‘In this bloodbath, in this bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed.’ So, she apparently had a basis for that statement—it came from William Ernest Henley’s poem Invictus,” she said in Filipino, adding that she was pleased the Vice President now had “a basis” for her statements.

VP still not addressing allegations

Castro, however, criticized Duterte for failing to personally address the allegations against her.

“In her brief remarks yesterday, we still did not hear her deny the allegations against her. She is leaving it to her lawyers,” she said.

Castro said the public would rather hear Duterte herself deny the accusations instead of relying on legal technicalities.

Asked whether Malacañang agreed with Duterte’s characterization of the proceedings, Castro said the administration respected her opinion but maintained that the real issue was uncovering the truth.

“At magiging madugo talaga ‘to kung hindi makikita ng taumbayan ang katotohanan at ‘yan naman ang hinahanap ng ating mga kababayan–malaman kung ano ba talaga ang mga katotohanan sa mga ibinabato sa kanya (And this will indeed be bloody if the public does not see the truth behind the allegations against her),” she said.

Castro also defended the Senate’s impeachment procedures after Duterte asked the Supreme Court to issue a status quo ante order questioning the authority of the trial’s presiding officer and amendments to the Senate’s impeachment rules.

She said the Palace believes the arrangements are constitutional, citing former Supreme Court Justice Adolfo Azcuna’s opinion that no constitutional provision requires only the Senate President to preside over an impeachment trial.

Prosecution to present witness on alleged hitman

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Senator-Judge Paolo Benigno Aquino IV asked whether prosecutors intended to present additional witnesses regarding the alleged hitman.

Private prosecutor Amando Ligutan replied: “As to the alleged hitman, your honor, yes.”

Ligutan declined to identify the witness.

The issue stems from Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 online press conference, where she said: “I told him [the alleged hitman], ‘If they kill me, kill Bongbong Marcos, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke.”

The prosecution said lawyer Jeremy Lotoc of the National Bureau of Investigation-Bangsamoro Administrative Region will testify on Monday on Article IV of the impeachment complaint, which accuses Duterte of making grave threats and conspiring to commit an assassination.

The impeachment court also subpoenaed Duterte’s chief of staff, lawyer Zuleikha Lopez, who is expected to appear next week.

The planned testimony followed the questioning by Aquino of NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, who authenticated Duterte’s video but said his assignment was limited to examining its authenticity.

“I was only tasked for the video, sir,” Calilung said.

Adiong: Admission itself a betrayal of public trust

House trial spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong argued that Duterte’s alleged admission itself constituted a betrayal of public trust.

“The mere fact that she had that idea and made an understanding, an agreement with a person whose livelihood is sourced out from killing people, is already a betrayal of public trust,” Alonto Adiong said.

He said any vice president should have reported the existence of a hired killer to authorities instead of allegedly negotiating with one.

Alonto Adiong added that the prosecution sought not only to establish the authenticity of Duterte’s statements but also to demonstrate their impact on national security.

“The threat was done, directed not just for an individual, but it is directed against the head of state, head of government, and the commander-in-chief. That’s why it is also a national security concern,” he said.

Defense wants court to play 2-hour full video

For its part, Duterte’s defense team said it has not ruled out asking the impeachment court to play the entire two-hour-and-36-minute recording of the Vice President’s virtual press conference.

Defense spokesperson lawyer Michael Poa said the team opted not to insist on playing the full video during Wednesday’s testimony to avoid delaying the proceedings.

“That’s not to say that we will not be asking for the playback of the two-hour video for some other witness. I’m not saying we will. I’m not saying we won’t,” Poa said.

He added that the defense would seek to expedite the proceedings whenever possible.

Asked about the subpoena issued to Lopez, Poa said the matter was for the prosecution to address because it had called her as a witness.

Alan: Issue of 16 votes to convict settled

Also on Wednesday, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said the impeachment court had effectively settled that Duterte could only be convicted with the concurrence of at least 16 senator-judges after no member challenged the ruling.

“The Senate impeachment court has effectively settled that Vice President Sara Duterte may be convicted only with at least 16 votes after no senator-judge challenged the ruling,” Cayetano said.

He said the remaining issue for the court was whether detained Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada would be allowed to participate in the final vote, noting that excluding them could effectively count as votes for acquittal. — Charles Dantes, Joel E. Zurbano, Katrina Manubay & Maricel Cruz