Manila, the Philippines (AP) – Filipino Deputy President Sara Duterte said on Friday that her lawyers were preparing for a legal struggle in her upcoming Impeachment trial but refused to say about departure was an alternative so that she could prevent a possible conviction as would stop her from running from running for president in the future.

Duterte spoke for the first time since the House of Representatives impeached her Wednesday on a number of criminal charges, including planning for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. murdered, which she denied again. Marcos was her running friend in the election in 2022 but they have had a bitter falling.

At the news conference, she emphasized financial difficulties and said that Philippine’s life has become “much worse” due to skyrocketing living expenses.

“God saves the Philippines,” Duterte said, asking his followers to turn to social media to express their feelings instead of holding street protests to avoid disturbing their lives.

A potential conviction and ban on Duterte Holding Office would be a great setback to one of the country’s most prominent political families who have been perceived as twisting against China.

Impeachment complaint focused on the alleged threats to Marcos, irregularities in the use of office funds and Duterte failure to resist Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Seaaccording to advocates for the petition. The Senate is to take up the case when it gathers in June.

Marcos has increased defense bands with Washington, Manila’s long -term treaty, as the Philippines met China’s increasing aggressive acts in the disputed water.

The Deputy President’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, cared for cozy bands during his term with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin while threatening to end US military involvement in the Philippines.

This background has made the procedure for procedures for the US and China, whose rivalry for influence looms in the region, says Jean Franco, a political professor at the state university in the Philippines.

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“China will lose an perceived ally if Duterte is sentenced,” Franco said. The United States, who saw its alliance with Manila questioned during the former Duterte administration, would benefit, she said.

When asked if she was considering departure, a feature that would prevent a possible conviction that would prevent her from running in the presidential election in 2028, Duterte refused to give a categorical response.

“We are still too far from these issues,” she said, leaving that a large number of lawyers have signed up to join her Impeachment defense.

She repeated that she was open to applying for the Presidency 2028 on the question, but added that she had to judge her chances. The Vice President’s popularity rating has decreased in independent surveys, but she is still considered a leading presidential trainer.

“We seriously consider it, but it is difficult to decide without the numbers,” she said.

Associated Press Video Journalist Joeal Calupitan contributed to this report.