SC requires VP Duterte, others to answer House plea to reverse impeachment ruling

The Supreme Court (SC) required Vice President Sara Duterte and other petitioners to comment on the motion filed by the House of Representatives to reverse the decision that declared unconstitutional the Articles of Impeachment filed against her.

- By REY G. PANALIGAN

VP Duterte and other petitioners led by lawyer Esraelito Torreon were asked to file their comments within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of the resolution that was issued by the SC during its full court session on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

It was not known immediately if the required comments on the motion for reconsideration may effectively postpone the enforcement of SC's July 25 decision which it had declared immediately executory.

In its unanimous decision signed by 13 justices, the SC declared that the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives on Feb. 5, 2025 is barred by the one-year rule under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the Constitution and that it violates the right to due process enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

The SC, however, clarified that "it is not absolving Vice President Duterte from any of the charges against her, but any subsequent impeachment complaint may only be filed starting Feb. 6, 2026." In its motion filed Monday afternoon, Aug. 4, the House of Representatives said all its actions on the impeachment of VP Duterte were all in accordance with relevant constitutional provisions and in line with jurisprudential standards.

It said there was "no neglect or willful inaction in relations to the first three impeachment complaints, and that they were handled within the applicable constitutionally sanctioned time periods." It also said the fourth impeachment complaint filed by at least one-third of the House of Representatives members was not in violation of the one-year ban. It noted that what was filed was the fourth impeachment complaint that caused the one-year ban to take effect.