Marilyn Cahatol

Vice President Sara Duterte joins Former President and Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the 2025 KASARILAYAAN Pride Reception on Wednesday, June 25, at the LausGroup Event Centre in San Fernando, Pampanga. 

The annual gathering brings together LGBTQIA+ community leaders, advocates, and allies to celebrate Pride Month and highlight ongoing efforts toward inclusivity, equality, and the empowerment of the LGBTQIA+ sector.
Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

PRIDE MONTH EVENT- VP Sara

Vivienne Gulla

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/177001961163820250625-kasarilayaan-duterte-MT15.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Vice President Sara Duterte joins Former President and Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the 2025 KASARILAYAAN Pride Reception on Wednesday, June 25, at the LausGroup Event Centre in San Fernando, Pampanga. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte joins Former President and Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the 2025 KASARILAYAAN Pride Reception on Wednesday, June 25, at the LausGroup Event Centre in San Fernando, Pampanga. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The one-year ban on initiating fresh impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte has lapsed, according to House Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor.</p><p>He explained that given the Supreme Court’s latest ruling defining a House “session day” as “a calendar day in which the House of Representatives holds a session,” the expiry of the one-year ban moves earlier than the February 6 previously declared by the High Court.</p><p>“It will be earlier. That&#x27;s why our friends from the Makabayan, our colleagues from Akbayan earlier this morning already filed impeachment complaints against the Vice President,” Defensor said.</p><p>House Committee on Justice Chairperson Gerville Luistro believes however that the High Court should clarify the matter. She said latest Supreme Court decision “implies” that the ban lapsed last January 15, 2026, based on the definition of “session days” it provided.</p><p>“Alin ‘yung susundin natin? Is it the February 6, 2026, na nasa original decision? Or is it the January 15, 2026, which was implied in the recent resolution?” she asked.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/30/house-members-see-judicial-overreach-in-supreme-court-decision-on-duterte-impeachment-1709">House members see &#x27;judicial overreach&#x27; in Supreme Court decision on Duterte impeachment</a></div><p>Bicol Saro Party List Representative Terry Ridon pointed out that the one-year ban is for “initiating” another impeachment proceeding against the same official. He stressed that under the House Rules, a complaint filed by less than a third of House members is only considered “initiated” once referred to the House Committee on Justice. </p><p>Given this, Ridon said the “safe period” to do the referral would be no earlier that February 6.</p><p>“I think what is relevant at this point would be when the referral to the House Committee on Justice will be… Pagka the referral is on the 6th of Feb. onwards, tingin ko wala ho tayong magiging problema dito. So, people can file any complaint from today up until the 6th. Pero we will not be in a constitutional question if the referral of the plenary to the House Committee on Justice will be on the 6th of Feb moving forward,” he explained.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/2/-today-is-the-day-makabayan-to-refile-impeach-complaint-vs-sara-duterte-0752">&#x27;Today is the day&#x27;: 2 new impeachment complaints filed vs Sara Duterte</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>HOUSE TO REVISE RULES</strong></div><p>The House Rules Rewriting Committee has started drafting amendments to the rules of the lower chamber, including those covering the impeachment proceedings, according to panel chairperson, Defensor.</p><p>He and some congressmen see “judicial overreach” in the High Court decision on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment case, but Defensor said the Supreme Court’s view will be “respected” in the new House Rules.</p><p>“Let&#x27;s leave the session days as it is. But for impeachment complaints, we will follow the Supreme Court that a session day is a calendar day without expressly saying that in the House of Representatives Rules on Impeachment,” Defensor said.</p><p>“We don&#x27;t have to assert our independence. Our independence is laid down by the law. Since we respect the Supreme Court, we will find a way to incorporate in the rules na ang mga bagay na sinasabi nila, marerespeto namin. Pero how you define a session day should not be defined by the judicial department. It should be the legislative department. Kasi may mga araw talagang hindi mo pwedeng bilangin ang isang calendar day. Kasi minsan lumalapas kami ng 12 o&#x27;clock. Paano kung ang deadline ay lumampas ng 12 a.m.? Di ba? Especially in budget season. But nonetheless, we respect the Supreme Court and I hope that soon they will find another occasion to review this decision of theirs. We will see to it that we will maintain our independence and we will maintain the doctrine of separation of powers,” he added.</p><p>“We will respect the decision of the Supreme Court insofar as having one session day is equivalent to one calendar day… Mas malinaw lang ang ating magiging rules on impeachment as well as our rules on internal procedure. We will make it more definitive para mas malinaw ang intensyon ng Konstitusyon at ng framers ng Konstitusyon,” Defensor noted.</p><p>He also said that the so-called “fast track” mode will stay under the revised House rules. The Constitution allows an impeachment complaint filed by at least one-third of House members to be elevated to the Senate for a trial “forthwith”.</p><p>“The fast mode stays. It cannot be removed because it is embodied clearly in the provisions of the Constitution... Kapag may impeachment complaint that is endorsed by at least one-third of all the members, the right to reply is already with the Senate, who will issue a subpoena and a notice to the respondent to first file an answer to the impeachment complaint transmitted to the Senate and for the members or the prosecution team on trial to file its reply,” he explained.</p><p>Defensor also expressed “disappointment” over the Supreme Court decision in VP Duterte’s case.</p><p>“It did not respect the separation of powers. Hindi nito nirespeto ang independence ng Kongreso pagdating sa impeachment. How we interpret and execute our own rules should be up to Congress… Sana iginalang nila na the impeachment process is a political question at hindi sana sila nag-encroach sa exclusive right of Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/22/new-impeach-bid-vs-vp-sara-may-backfire-if-meant-only-to-hurt-2028-run-up-prof-1422">New impeach bid vs VP Sara may backfire if meant only to hurt 2028 run — UP prof</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0UHv3BCVlL0?si=lMw4EYqMyCwrYNyi" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The one-year ban on initiating fresh impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte has lapsed, according to House Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor.</p>

The one-year ban on initiating fresh impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte has lapsed, according to House Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor.

1-year ban on initiating impeachment proceedings against VP Duterte has lapsed — Defensor

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1-year ban on initiating impeachment proceedings against VP Duterte has lapsed — Defensor

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 02, 2026 04:08 PM PHT

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