SC urged to resolve Sara Duterte impeachment appeal with ‘utmost care’

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives’ appeal to the Supreme Court's (SC) ruling on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment must be handled with "utmost care," Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro said Tuesday.

In a statement, Luistro said the arguments and discussions surrounding Duterte’s impeachment — which the SC declared unconstitutional — are crucial, as they will form part of a landmark case that could shape future impeachment efforts.

Luistro, who is also part of the prosecution team for Duterte’s impeachment trial, issued the statement a day after the House filed its motion for reconsideration electronically.

“With all due respect to the Supreme Court, the Motion for Reconsideration must be resolved with utmost care. This is a landmark case in impeachment proceedings. Thus, both parties must be accorded ample opportunity to argue their respective positions,” Luistro said.

“Let us be mindful that these are the very foundations of our democracy, the Constitution, which is the fundamental law of the land; the Impeachment, which is the people's redress against erring and abusive public officials; and ultimately, the integrity of the Highest Tribunal which has the exclusive power to interpret laws,” she added.

On Monday, the House and the SC confirmed the filing of a motion for reconsideration. It challenges an earlier SC ruling that declared the articles of impeachment transmitted by the House to the Senate unconstitutional, citing a violation of the 1987 Constitution’s one-year bar rule.

READ: Supreme Court: Impeachment complaint vs Sara Duterte unconstitutional

On February 5, Duterte was impeached after 215 members of the House from the 19th Congress filed and signed a fourth complaint. The complaint alleged misuse of confidential funds in her offices, threats against ranking officials, and other possible violations of the 1987 Constitution.

The articles of impeachment were immediately transmitted to the Senate on the same day, in line with the Constitution’s provision that a trial must promptly begin once at least one-third of all House members—or 102 out of 306—endorse the complaint.

READ: House impeaches Sara Duterte, fast-tracking transmittal to Senate

In February, two petitions seeking to stop the impeachment complaints against Duterte were filed before the SC. One of the petitions came from a group of Mindanao-based lawyers, who argued that the House failed to follow constitutional rules requiring it to act on filed impeachment complaints within 10 session days.

The first three complaints were filed in December 2024 but were only referred to the House committee on rules on February 5.

READ: Petition to stop impeachment trial vs VP Duterte filed at Supreme Court

On Monday, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said that while they respect the SC, the chamber maintains that the Constitution places the power of impeachment exclusively within the House.

“Let us be clear: The Constitution says, ‘The House of Representatives shall have the exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment.’ That power is not shared. Not subject to pre-approval. And not conditional,” he said.

“Yet in G.R. No. 278353, the Supreme Court ruled otherwise — based on a misreading of facts and a retroactive imposition of new rules … Even the Court’s own precedent — Francisco v. House — supports this: Only one impeachment can be initiated, and that initiation begins with a one-third endorsement or a referral. That is exactly what the House did,” he added./mcm

(2025/08/05-11:57)

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