By Jennylou Canon

PHOTO: PCOO

President Rodrigo Duterte is eyeing to challenge the exclusion of Vice Presidents from immunity to charges.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday said that Duterte's challenging "is an opportunity to provoke jurisprudence".

The President made a statement on Saturday that he is planning to run for vice presidency for immunity after Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio threatened him to be filed with charges for his administration's war on drugs and "tolerance" of Chinese harassments within the West Philippine Sea.



Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra cited the 1987 Constitution, saying that the vice president is not immune from charges.

"The Constitution does not grant the vice president immunity from suit. Since she is not immune from suit, the vice president has to face the charges even during her tenure," Guevarra said.

Albay Lawmaker Edcel Lagman also cited the prosecution of former Vice President Gloria Arroyo to proceed during her term.

Furthermore, National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) clarified that only the President is 
immune from charges.