MANILA — Former lawmaker Neri Colmenares on Thursday questioned the confidence of Vice President Sara Duterte's lawyers that they could secure an acquittal from the Senate impeachment court.

Colmenares, a lawyer and one of the key complainants in the impeachment case against Duterte, told ANC he did not know where the confidence was coming from. 

VP Sara Duterte says lawyers 'confident' of impeachment win

"If we’re talking legally here, I don't see any evidence she can also present during the impeachment trial disproving, for example, the charge that P125 million was spent by her in 11 days," he said.

"Matagal na itong hinihingi sa kanya hanggang ngayon hindi niya ma-account 'yan. So ano kayang ebidensya ang isa-submit niya?" said Colmenares.

"'Yan ang isa sa pinakamalakas actually, betrayal of public trust, violating your oath of office, dahil you didn't execute the laws faithfully. Under the revised penal code pag ang public official hindi niya ma-account ang public funds in the custody niya that's malversation," he said.

Duterte in February this year was impeached by the House of Representatives for "violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes."

Accusations spelled out in the 44-page document include an alleged plot to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos, first lady Liza Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Should Duterte resign amid her impeachment trial, which has yet to begin, Colmenares said they would campaign for it to proceed, as one of the punishments upon the Senate's conviction is perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

"The Senate has to really rule on the issue of perpetual disqualification here and we… will insist even to the Supreme Court, if need be, that the Senate continue trial despite the resignation of the vice president," he said.

Duterte is widely expected to launch a presidential run in 2028, and she has previously said that she is "seriously considering" it.

Impeached Sara Duterte won't rule out presidential run

—with a report from Agence France-Presse