The SC and Sara's impeachment trial

The Supreme Court has intervened in the impending trial of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte.

- TONY LOPEZ

Its resolution requiring the House of Representatives to explain and provide information is a classic — in its being both innocuous-sounding and being profound at the same time.

Innocuous because the resolution sounds like a perfunctory clerical move done just so the complainants (Sara Duterte's lawyers who claim the impeachment case is void ab initio) before the High Court cannot complain later they were not properly attended to. Profound and dangerous because the resolution opens many possibilities — from the mischievous to egregious to legal, judicial and constitutional. And otherwise.

Knowing how lawyers in this country operate, the SC intervention could lead to the dismissal of the Sara impeachment case, outside of the Senate.

Sara has assembled the best defense lawyers money can commission, a total of 16. They know the tricks of the trade and the nuances of law. Man for man, the 16-person Defense team can easily outwit the House Prosecution panel, as presently constituted.

I pray the SC maneuver won't lead to case dismissal. The Supreme Court has no business meddling in an impeachment trial.

Impeachment is unique and exclusive to Congress. Sui generis, as they say. A class of its own. The House impeaches, the Senate tries. The House members or congressmen act as prosecutor. The senators act as judges. Before donning their Nazareno-like robes, the senators take an oath of political neutrality as judges.