MANILA — Vice President Sara Z. Duterte dismissed the recent move by Rep. Diokno to request subpoenas for additional documents in connection with impeachment complaints against her, calling it a politically motivated effort.

In a statement, Duterte said the request “only reinforces what I have been saying all along. There is no sufficient evidence to warrant an impeachment case against me.”

She argued that the House Committee on Justice cannot conduct an investigation to search for evidence after declaring the complaints sufficient in substance, saying such efforts would amount to a “third ‘fishing expedition’ by the House of Representatives.”

“The first was the budget hearing in 2024, remembered for the now infamous line, ‘Let’s stick to our plan.’ The second were the hearings conducted by the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, which many will recall for the so-called ‘Mary Grace Piattos’ attack. Now we are witnessing yet another desperate attempt to search for evidence where none exists,” Duterte said.

The vice president further described the impeachment as “a political attack designed to protect certain individuals and advance personal and foreign interests,” pointing to officials allegedly involved in corruption and other controversies.

She also criticized the handling of Madriaga, described as “an alleged kidnapper who fabricated an entire story,” calling the request for special treatment for him “a grave insult to the minor victim who was traumatized by his criminal acts.”

Duterte added that while communities worldwide grapple with energy and commodities shocks, “the Philippine House of Representatives and the Office of the President remain preoccupied with a political nemesis who refuses to kowtow to their corrupt ways,” warning that this focus risks further hardship for overseas Filipino workers and poor families.