House sets MR, says SC amended Constitution

PDP-Laban wants critic of SC cited in contempt

- By JANVIC MATEO

The Supreme Court (SC) has basically amended the Constitution and intruded on Congress' mandate pertaining to impeachment proceedings.

This was the House of Representatives' reaction after the SC ruled that the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte was unconstitutional.

House spokesperson Princess Abante said that the high tribunal's ruling added "very stringent requirements that not only complicate the impeachment process but also encroach on the exclusive powers of the House."

Abante confirmed that the House will file a motion for reconsideration, in the hope that "once the facts are corrected, the Court will arrive at a different and more just conclusion."

Meanwhile, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is set to file a petition for contempt against someone it described as an "arrogant" critic of the SC ruling.

Abante refuted the SC's claim that Duterte was not given any chance to rebut the allegations, highlighting the fact that the she had "repeatedly been invited to hearings to present her side but chose not to appear." "To disregard these facts is not only a disservice to the truth - it is a disservice to the Constitution itself," Abante said.

She said the Court's primary assertion - that the Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate without plenary approval - is "categorically false." "Last Feb. 5, then House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe proposed to pass the complaint to the Senate, based on the signatures gathered. This was approved by the House plenary, where the leadership immediately formed a panel of public prosecutors," Abante explained.