House Defers Receipt of Remanded Impeach Complaint

Case Constitutional, House Certifies

- By JOSE RODEL CLAPANO

The House of Representatives yesterday deferred acceptance of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, shortly after adopting a resolution certifying that the impeachment proceedings initiated on Feb. 5, 2025 fully complied with the Constitution.

House Deputy Majority Leader Faustino Dy V moved to defer acceptance of the remanded Articles until the Senate as an impeachment court "has responded to the clarificatory queries" raised by the House prosecution team.

Deputy Speaker Robbie Puno, presiding over the session, repeated Dy's motion and ruled Resolution 2346 approved. It moved to direct the issuance of a certification.

Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro of the prosecution team admitted that they were confused with the orders of the impeachment court.

"With respect to the first order, about the certification pertaining to our compliance with the Constitution pertaining to the filing of the impeachment court, we maintain our position. We complied fully and strictly with the requirements of the Constitution," she said.

Luistro said the House prosecutors did not violate the one-year prohibition rule.

"With respect to the second order, it is impossible to be complied with because first of all, the 20th congress doesn't exist yet. We are still in the 19th Congress," Luistro stressed, pertaining to the Senate order for the 20th Congress to confirm that it will pursue the case.

At the same time, Luistro said the impeachment trial of Duterte is now inevitable following the delivery of summons.

"The impeachment trial is pushing through. No one can stop this anymore because jurisdiction has been acquired already by the impeachment court over the person of the respondent," she said.

"Apparently, she has a period of 10 days to answer. That is non-extendable," Luistro added.