Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte holds a press conference, February 7, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

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20250207-sara duterte-impeachment-presscon

Adrian Ayalin

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176966927595320250207-vp-duterte-presscon-impeachment-MT-19.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte holds a press conference, February 7, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Supreme Court upheld its decision declaring the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional and that the Senate did not acquire the jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings.</p><p>In an en banc decision promulgated on January 28, all those who participated in the earlier ruling unanimously denied with finality the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives, SC spokesperson Camille Ting said. </p><p>“It affirmed that the fourth impeachment complaint transmitted to the Senate on February 5, 2025 was already barred by Article XI, Section 3, subsection (5) of the Constitution,” Ting said.</p><p>The court however clarified a few points, including the definition of session days.</p><p>“Session days as used in Article XI, Section 3, subsection (2) or for purposes of the first mode of initiating an impeachment complaint does not mean legislative session days. A session day for purposes of Article XI in the Constitution was given its plain and ordinary sense, which the Court interprets to mean a calendar day in which the House of Representatives holds a session,” Ting said.</p><p>Ting reiterated that no further pleadings would be allowed.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;MOVE ON&#x27;</strong></div><p>Duterte’s defense team thanked the Supreme Court “for a ruling that now definitively lays down clear and authoritative guidance on the constitutional limits and proper treatment of impeachment proceedings.”</p><p>“With these issues settled by the Court, the matter is now closed. We should then move on to address the nation’s other pressing concerns,” said Michael Poa, spokesperson of Duterte’s legal team. </p><p><em></em> The House of Representatives impeached Duterte in 2025, charging the vice president with graft, corruption and an alleged assassination plot against one-time ally and former running mate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>But her defense team filed a petition arguing that a trio of earlier complaints logged against her in the House — but voted on only at the committee level -- had constituted impeachment proceedings.</p><p>The Supreme Court agreed and blocked the Senate impeachment trial of Duterte, saying it violated a constitutional provision against multiple impeachment proceedings within a single year.</p><p>It said a fresh impeachment attempt could be introduced by February 6, 2026.</p><div><em></em><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/26/makabayan-eye-fresh-impeachment-complaint-vs-sara-duterte-in-february-1247">Makabayan eye fresh impeachment complaint vs Sara Duterte in February</a> </div><p>In a statement, Bicol Saro Party-List Rep. Terry Ridon, chair of the House Committee on Public Accounts, acknowledged the SC decision.</p><p>&quot;However, once the one-year bar lapses on 6 February, the House of Representatives of the 20th Congress will be prepared to receive and act on any new impeachment complaints filed against the vice president,&quot; he also said.</p><p>Members of the Makabayan bloc, which has three seats at the House, have indicated they would support a fresh impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/26/makabayan-eye-fresh-impeachment-complaint-vs-sara-duterte-in-february-1247"></a><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/11/rep-duterte-warns-colleagues-vs-supporting-potential-vp-sara-impeachment-bid-1154">Rep. Duterte warns colleagues vs supporting potential VP Sara impeachment bid</a></div><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse </strong></div><div><iframe width="726" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DDDV5QoTa9g" title="Senate Vote on VP Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial | an ABS-CBN News Special Live Coverage" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="726" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gWQafA7bm7c" title="Progressive groups to file fresh impeachment complaint vs VP Sara in February | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The Supreme Court upheld its decision declaring the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional and that the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings.</p>

The Supreme Court upheld its decision declaring the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional and that the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings.

Supreme Court affirms Sara Duterte impeachment unconstitutional

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Supreme Court affirms Sara Duterte impeachment unconstitutional

Adrian Ayalin,

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 29, 2026 02:27 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 29, 2026 03:42 PM PHT

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