House to appeal SC decision on impeachment complaint against Sara Duterte
The House of Representatives will file a motion for reconsideration of the Supreme Court's decision declaring the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional.
In a statement, House spokesperson Atty. Princess Abante said that the High Court's ruling was based on factual premises or findings that were "false" and contradictory to the lower chamber's records.
"Ginawa ng Kamara ang lahat upang sundan ang alituntinin at prinsipyo ng ating Saligang Batas at ng mga naunang pasya ng Korte Suprema. Kaya kami ay nababahala sa tila bagong requisites na ipinataw sa mga bagong desisyon," she said.
Abante contended the SC's claim that the impeachment complaint filed on Feb. 5, 2025, was transmitted to the Senate without a plenary vote.
"This is categorically false. Noong Feb. 5, 2025, si Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe ang nagmungkahi na ipasa ang February complaint sa Senado. Batay sa katotohanang ito ay verified at pirmado ng hindi bababa sa 1/3 ng mga miyembro ng Kamara. Ang mosyong ito ay inaprubahan sa plenaryo, at agad ring bumuo ang Kamara ng panel of public prosecutors," she said.
"Ang transmitted sa Senado ay hindi unilateral o ministerial, it was a clear result of plenary action."
In its ruling, the SC also said that the fourth impeachment complaint is barred by the one-year rule in the Constitution because there were three complaints that came ahead of it.
Abante called this "inaccurate" and said that the House, in February, voted to archive the first three impeachment complaints filed in December.
"Ginawa ito ilang oras bago mag-adjourn ang session, dahil nakumpirma na ang Pebrero complaint ay pirmado at verified ng 1/3 ng mga miyembro ng Kamara. Ayon sa Constitution, ito ay itinuturing nang articles of impeachment at obligadong ipadala sa Senado para sa paglilitis," the House spokesperson said.
She also refuted the High Court's claims that the House did not take action against the three complaints.
"The conclusion drawn by the Supreme Court that the February complaint violated the one-year bar is therefore grounded in procedural inversion. Ang pinakabatayang saligan ng desisyon kung saan umikot ang mga legal pronouncement ng Korte ay mali," Abante said.
The SC's decision was also based on due process grounds, but Abante said that the said requisites are "not in the Constitution or House rules.
"Nagbigay ang Korte ng bagong patakaran na wala naman sa umiiral na batas. Pinawalang bisa nila ang articles of impeachment base sa mga bagong pamantayan ng due process para sa respondent," she said, adding that Duterte had the chance to be heard during committee hearings she was invited to.
"These are requirements that basically amend the Constitution and represent an unacceptable intrusion into the exclusive powers of the House of Representatives," she added.
The court also said it is not absolving Duterte of the charges.
Duterte's impeachment
The House impeached Duterte in February, accusing her of misusing public funds, amassing unusual wealth, and threatening to kill President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and the House Speaker.
Meanwhile, on July 25, Senate impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol said that the ruling "validates the prudence and restraint exercised by the Senate majority" with regard to Duterte's impeachment.
“We now await the formal transmittal of the Supreme Court’s decision and any related guidance that may affect the Impeachment Court’s jurisdiction moving forward. The Senate remains committed to upholding constitutional order, ensuring due process, and protecting the integrity of our democratic institutions,” it added.
Senators Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada urged respect for the Court's decision, while others, including Senators Vicente Sotto III, Joel Villanueva, Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan, and Risa Hontiveros, stated that the impeachment trial must continue.
