Vice President Sara Duterte does not personally attend scheduled proceedings in the Senate impeachment trial against her, according to her defense team and related reports. Her lawyer, defense spokesperson Michael Poa, says Duterte will not appear at the trial proper and instead will meet with her defense counsel at the Senate. In earlier developments, Poa also said Duterte would not attend the trial’s opening day, adding that she is appearing through counsel in line with the impeachment rules. Poa cited Duterte’s prior statements that choosing to appear only through counsel rather than in person does not reduce accountability or involve a lack of transparency. Multiple outlets report that Duterte’s absence extends beyond the first day and that she attends the Senate only for a meeting with her lawyers rather than for the scheduled hearing. Separately, one outlet notes that Duterte previously did not attend House justice panel hearings related to the impeachment complaints, consistent with her pattern of not appearing in person. The reports collectively describe Duterte’s legal posture as focusing on participation through her counsel while not testifying personally during the impeachment proceedings.