MANILA – A lawyer for Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday rejected reports claiming that the person referred to as “Mary Grace Piattos” would be presented as part of her defense in the impeachment complaints filed against her.
In a statement, Duterte-Carpio’s spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa directly addressed the circulating claims, stressing that they were “inaccurate” and not based on any official pronouncement from the defense team.
“For clarity, this is inaccurate. I have not made any such statement, nor have I confirmed or announced any such course of action,” the lawyer said.
Poa also called on members of the media to ensure that statements attributed to the legal team are properly verified, underscoring the importance of accurate reporting amid the impeachment proceedings.
“We respectfully appeal to our colleagues in the media to avoid attributing statements or positions that were never made, in the interest of a fair public discussion,” he added.
Duterte-Carpio’s defense team had earlier said it was ready to clarify issues surrounding the use of aliases connected to confidential funds, including the name “Mary Grace Piattos,” which has been cited as one of the bases of the impeachment complaints.
Two impeachment complaints have been filed against the Vice President, accusing her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violations of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, and other high crimes./PN
