VP Duterte readies for new impeachment

National

“FIRST of all, I thank God.”

Vice President Sara Duterte said this, reflecting on a Supreme Court (SC) win that stopped her impeachment. She added that her legal team is already preparing for another case as soon as the Constitution’s one-year bar lapses on February 6.

Duterte’s announcement comes after the Supreme Court issued a final ruling that her previous impeachment complaint was barred under the Constitution’s one-year prohibition. She expressed gratitude for her lawyers, who coordinated to challenge what she described as an abuse of the impeachment process by the House of Representatives, and thanked Filipinos who continue to trust her.

The SC had earlier ruled that the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte violated the one-year bar rule, denying the House of Representatives’ motion for reconsideration.

Court spokesperson Camille Ting confirmed that 14 justices voted on the case, with Associate Justice Benjamin Caguioa abstaining and Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh on leave.

The House had argued that the complaint, which was endorsed by one-third of its members and transmitted to the Senate on February 6, was not yet subject to the one-year bar under Article XI, Section 3, subsection (5) of the Constitution.

Duterte said her legal team has been preparing for months, having been hired in late 2023 when a House member first announced intentions to file a case against her, which she confirmed inside the Speaker’s office.

She noted that civil society groups and complainants behind the four consolidated impeachment complaints are keen on seeing the case re-filed and augmented. She added that discussions on preparation continued through last year, stressing that if no complaint is filed this year, one could be submitted next year or before the end of her term.

Malacañang emphasized respect for the Supreme Court decision while noting that it does not settle broader questions of accountability.

Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro said in a Philstar report, “The President and the administration will respect whatever the Supreme Court’s decision is regarding that.”

She also observed that the ruling did not address the merits of the impeachment case and clarified that any changes to House rules following the SC decision are matters for Congress, not the President.(MyTVCebu)