Joselito Malig

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his State of the Nation Address at the Opening of the 19th Congress on July 24, 2023. The President is accompanied by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>The House of Representatives respects the Supreme Court, but vowed to “exhaust all remedies” to protect the independence of Congress and “preserve the sanctity” of its constitutional role. </p><p> It issued the statement after the High Court nullified the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, which the lower chamber filed before the Senate, saying they are barred by the Constitutional provision prohibiting more than one impeachment complaint from being initiated against the same official within a period of one year. </p><p>The House of Representatives said it has yet to officially receive a copy of the Supreme Court’s decision, but it underscored that allowing “judicial interference” in the initiation of the impeachment process “risks undermining the very principle of checks and balances”.</p><p> “The impeachment process is not just a legal mechanism—it is a vital democratic safeguard. Under Article XI, Section 3 of the Constitution, the exclusive power to initiate impeachment rests solely with the House of Representatives. This was firmly established in Francisco v. House of Representatives (2003) and has long stood as settled doctrine,” House Spokesperson Atty. Princess Abante said in a statement.</p><div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/25/supreme-court-duterte-impeachment-articles-unconstitutional-1601"><strong>Supreme Court blocks VP Sara Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial</strong></a></div><p> “Impeachment is a political act rooted in the people’s will—no legal technicality should silence it… This is not about one person. Hindi lang ito laban sa isang opisyal. Ito ay laban para sa karapatan ng taumbayan na maningil ng pananagutan sa gobyerno,” she added.</p><p> “The House will exhaust all remedies to protect the independence of Congress and preserve the sanctity of our constitutional role. This is not defiance. This is constitutional fidelity. We owe it to the people to be relentless in our duty—because accountability should never be optional, no matter how high the office,” Abante stressed.</p><div><strong> PROCEDURALLY QUESTIONABLE?</strong></div><p> ML Party List Representative Leila de Lima criticized the Supreme Court decision, calling it “procedurally questionable”.</p><p> She said the House of Representatives “was not given the opportunity to file a formal Comment as required by Rule 65, Section 6 of the Rules of Court”. </p><p> “Instead of directing the House to file a comment, the Court issued a written interrogatory—a rare, if not irregular, move. Somehow, the Supreme Court treated the House’s compliance with this interrogatory as if it were a formal responsive pleading. But let’s be clear: it was not,” De Lima said in a statement.</p><p>“Paano naglabas ng pinal na desisyon kung wala pang pormal na tugon ang respondent? Even traffic violators are given more due process than what was accorded here. Isang desisyong walang patas na proseso ay isang desisyong nakabitin sa ere. The decision is basically an ex-parte decision, a very prohibited action among judges when the rules require the parties to be given the opportunity to be heard first,” she added.</p><p> “I respect the Supreme Court. But in a case of this magnitude—transcendental constitutional importance—we must demand clarity, not shortcuts. The public deserves an explanation. The Court must account for this serious departure from established rules of procedure,” De Lima noted. </p><p>She said the SC decision is neither a vindication nor an exoneration of the Vice President.</p><p> “Walang naburang kasalanan. Walang nalinis na pangalan,” De Lima said.</p><p> “Teknikal ang desisyon. Ang mga alegasyon ay nananatiling totoo, malubha, at hindi pa nasasagot. We must not let this ruling numb our sense of justice. Hindi tayo dapat masanay sa mga lider na hindi napapanagot. Hindi pa tapos ang laban,” she added.</p><div><strong>  DISMAY</strong></div><p> Congressmen who support the impeachment complaint against Duterte expressed dismay over the Supreme Court’s decision. </p><p>“Gaya ng makulimlim na panahon, madilim din ang ating demokrasya. Binalewala ng Supreme Court ang Konstitusyon. Binalewala ang sarili nilang desisyon. Binalewala ang separation of powers para lang protektahan ang bise presidente,” said Akbayan Party List Representative Percival Cendaña, who endorsed the first impeachment complaint against Duterte.</p><div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/25/what-lawmakers-said-on-sc-s-decision-to-block-sara-duterte-s-impeachment-trial-1909"><strong>What lawmakers said on SC&#x27;s decision to block Sara Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial </strong></a></div><p>“Ni-reduce ng Supreme Court ang kanyang sarili bilang Supreme Coddler of the Philippines. The dismissal of the impeachment sets a dangerous precedent. Lahat ng tiwaling pulitiko, pwedeng magtago sa likod ng Supreme Court at takasan ang pananagutan sa sambayanan. A disastrous day for Philippine democracy,” he added in a video message. </p><p>“Lubos tayong nadidismaya sa nagign desisyon ng Supreme Court. Ang hirap talagang magpanagot ng korap sa Pilipinas. Magiging legal basis ang desisyon na ito para sa matagal nang kagustuhan ng Malacañang at Senado na ‘wag nang ituloy ‘yung impeachment trial. Gayunpaman, hindi dapat magbunyi si Bise Presidente, dahil hindi tatantanan ng mamamayan ang pagpapanagot  sa pagkawaldas ng confidential funds,” ACT Teachers Party List Representative Antonio Tinio, for his part, said. </p><p>For Akbayan Party List Representative Chel Diokno, accountability lost in the SC ruling. </p><p>“Sa desisyong ito, talo ang taumbayan. Talo ang pananagutan. Impeachment is about accountability. The process followed the constitution: the complaint was verified, endorsed by more than one-third of the House, at iisa lang ang kasong kinakaharap ni Vice President Sara Duterte. There was no violation of due process—only a demand to present the truth to the Filipino people,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Hi1P1WAOcM??si=4OzwrkZ3LO04UUff&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The House of Representatives respects the Supreme Court, but vowed to “exhaust all remedies” to protect the independence of Congress and “preserve the sanctity” of its constitutional role. </p>

The House of Representatives respects the Supreme Court, but vowed to “exhaust all remedies” to protect the independence of Congress and “preserve the sanctity” of its constitutional role.

House vows to protect independence amid SC ruling on Sara Duterte impeachment

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House vows to protect independence amid SC ruling on Sara Duterte impeachment

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 25, 2025 08:42 PM PHT

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Updated Aug 05, 2025 04:15 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

Impeachment case

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Sara Duterte

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