Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and its affiliate organizations hold a rally in Quezon City on July 26, 2025 to protest the Supreme Court's ruling that the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte are unconstitutional. Jessie Cruzat, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Jessie Cruzat

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753521165083Screenshot 2025-07-26 at 5.09.13 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and its affiliate organizations hold a rally in Quezon City on July 26, 2025 to protest the Supreme Court&#x27;s ruling that the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte are unconstitutional. Jessie Cruzat, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and various groups held a protest on Saturday in front of the Commission on Human Rights office in Quezon City over the Supreme Court ruling that declared the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional.Liwasang Diokno in the CHR compound is a freedom park, where protests are allowed even without a permit.Protest leaders argued the decision undermines justice and accountability, favoring supposed technicalities over substance.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/26/sc-ruling-on-vp-sara-impeachment-lets-officials-skirt-accountability-activist-groups-1111">SC ruling on VP Sara impeachment lets officials skirt accountability — activist groups </a></div>“Madaling sabihing unconstitutional pero ang hindi napapansin dito ng korte ay ang mas matimbang na interes ng hustisya at pananagutan,” said Renato Reyes, Bayan president.(It is easy to say it was unconstitutional but the court disregarded justice and accountability)According to the Supreme Court, the articles of impeachment violated the constitutional provision against initiating more than one impeachment complaint against an official in the same year.Duterte&#x27;s lawyers have hailed the ruling as a victory for due process and Duterte ally Sen. Bong Go has called on the public to respect the Supreme Court&#x27;s decision.Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who had been vocal against impeachment, said talk of impeachment should now be dropped.He warned the Senate would be courting a constitutional crisis if it goes ahead with the trial despite the SC decision.<div> </div><div>&#x27;DECISION SHOWS DIFFICULTY OF GETTING ACCOUNTABILITY&#x27;</div>The SC also said in its ruling that Duterte should have been given an opportunity to address the allegations in the articles of impeachment before these were endorsed to the Senate for trial.Reyes said the decision sends the message that is very difficult to hold powerful officials accountable.“Napakarami palang requirements na wala naman noon pero biglang ngayon meron na,” Reyes added.(There are suddenly so many requirements that were not there before)The Supreme Court ruling effectively halted the impeachment trial and said a new complaint cannot be filed before Feb. 6, 2026.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/26/de-lima-apologizes-to-supreme-court-for-remark-on-impeachment-ruling-1542">De Lima apologizes to Supreme Court for remark on impeachment ruling </a></div>Reyes said the public had been waiting for the impeachment trial to start but that the Supreme Court had dashed the possibility of that.“Kahit pa sabihing pwedeng mag-refile sa February 6, 2026, matagal pa ‘yon mula ngayon. Marami pa ang pwedeng mangyari,” Reyes added.(Even if they say it can be refiled on February 6, 2026, that is a long time from now. So many things can happen before then)<div> </div><div>&#x27;MARCOS JR.&#x27;S STANCE IN IMPEACHMENT A SIGNAL TO ALLIES&#x27;</div>Bayan Secretary-General Mong Palatino meanwhile said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is partly to blame for how the impeachment proceedings have gone.The President has repeatedly said he is against impeachment, which he believes will not improve anybody’s life.The Palace has also taken a &#x27;hands-off&#x27; position on impeachment, saying it is a matter for the legislative branch.“Itong mga public pronouncement niya na ayaw niya ng impeachment ay isang senyales para sa mga senador at ilang nga opisyal na maging mabagal sa kanilang desisyon. Ayaw niya ng impeachment dahil ayaw niya na singilin din siya,” Palatino said.(His public pronouncements were a signal to the senators and some officials to slow down. He doesn’t want impeachment because it can also be used against him)The Kabataan Party-List also condemned the delay in the impeachment proceedings and also pointed at Marcos Jr.“Dahil bakit ba na-technical in the first place ang impeachment trial? Ito ay dahil si Marcos saka ‘yong kanyang mga kakampi sa Kongreso, inupuan nila ‘yong impeachment complaint,” Kabataan Party-List Rep. Renee Co said.(Why did this happen to the impeachment trial in the first place? It’s because Marcos and his allies in Congress sat on the complaint)Co was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/4/vp-sara-duterte-faces-second-impeachment-complaint-1532">among the complainants in the second of four complaints </a>filed at the House.The groups will hold a rally on July 28, during Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) to voice their grievances against the administration.

Protest leaders argued the decision undermines justice and accountability, favoring supposed technicalities over substance.

Protest leaders argued the decision undermines justice and accountability, favoring supposed technicalities over substance.

Group protests SC ruling on impeachment, blames Marcos Jr. for ‘inaction’

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Group protests SC ruling on impeachment, blames Marcos Jr. for ‘inaction’

Jessie Cruzat,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 26, 2025 05:23 PM PHT

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Updated Aug 05, 2025 04:14 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Duterte impeachment

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan

Kabataan Party-List

Supreme Court

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