SC gives VP Sara Duterte 10 days to reply to impeachment motion

The Supreme Court has directed Vice President Sara Duterte to respond to the House of Representatives' motion for reconsideration concerning her impeachment. Her camp has since issued a statement.

Duterte and other petitioners, including lawyer Israeli Torreon, have been given a 10-day deadline to submit their comments.

A representative for Duterte has since announced that they intend to comply with the order.

"We will comply with the Order of the Supreme Court and submit our Comment within the period provided," Michael Poa, Duterte's legal counsel and impeachment spokesperson, said. 

On Monday, Aug. 4, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said they will uphold the constitutional role of the House of Representatives in the face of the SC ruling that nullified the impeachment case against the vice president. 

According to Romualdez, the Constitution gives the House the exclusive and unconditional power to initiate all impeachment cases, without needing "pre-approval."

The politician reiterated that they are filing the appeal "not to assert supremacy, but to restore balances."

"If impeachments can be blocked by misunderstood facts or rules made after the fact, then accountability is not upheld; it is denied," he emphasized.

"To dissent is not to defy. To demand accountability is not to destabilize. To insist on constitutional integrity is not to weaken democracy, it is to strengthen it. We speak now not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. The House will not bow in silence," he ended.

It was on Friday, July 25, that the SC struck down an impeachment complaint against the vice president, ruling it was unconstitutional.

In its ruling, the SC claimed that the impeachment complaint was transmitted to the Senate without a plenary vote. They also said that the fourth impeachment complaint is barred by the one-year rule in the Constitution because there were three prior complaints.

Despite this, the court said it is not absolving Duterte of the charges.

Duterte is accused of misusing public funds, amassing unusual wealth, and threatening to kill President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and the House Speaker.