Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Several people, among them lawyers and former government officials, are seeking to join the petition at the Supreme Court questioning impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><p>Petitioners, which include One Bangsamoro Movement National president Maulana Balangi and former Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Ronald Adamat, said the Filipinos’ constitutional interests will be affected by what happens with the case.</p><p>They filed a motion for leave of court to intervene and a petition-in-intervention on Friday, according to the Supreme Court.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/9/some-lawmakers-welcome-sc-s-non-issuance-of-tro-on-duterte-impeachment-petition-2054"><strong>Lawmakers welcome SC’s non-issuance of TRO on Duterte impeachment petition</strong></a></div><p>According to the petition-in-intervention the House justice committee&#x27;s actions <strong></strong>“[threaten] to convert the constitutional power to impeach into an open-ended instrument of selective investigation and political harassment.”</p><p>Adamat said they believe the House Committee on Justice violated the Constitution by calling proceedings a &quot;mini-trial&quot; and for issuing subpoenas for documents not attached to the impeachment complaint.</p><p>Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, committee chair, has said that the term &quot;mini-trial&quot; was meant to differentiate House proceedings from actual trial at the Senate.</p><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/eKzByYyqCAE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Adamat said the House proceedings &quot;usurp&quot; the Senate&#x27;s power to try impeachment cases and that the subpoenas are part of a &quot;fishing expedition&quot; against Duterte.</p><p>“This is not just procedural issues. It&#x27;s a blatant attempt to undermine Vice President Duterte&#x27;s credibility and block her path to 2028,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/9/michael-poa-nbi-director-subpoenaed-to-attend-vp-duterte-impeachment-hearing-0828"><strong>House impeach panel subpoenas NBI chief over VP Sara &#x27;death threat&#x27; probe </strong></a></div><p>According to petitioner Atty. John Rey Codilla, the petititon-in-intervention cites the House committee subpoenas not included in the original petition &quot;since the subpoenas issued  on March 31 were only available after the principal/original petitions for certiorari were filed.” </p><p>But for House justice committee member Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro party-list, the petitioners are simply wasting paper.</p><p>“Wala naman silang dinagdag na bago dito po sa bagay na ito. Ang sinasabi po na kanila pong napakaiksing petisyon at paulit-ulit na mga sinasabi doon sa kanila pong papel ay they are supporting principally the original petition ni Atty. [Israelito] Torreon,&quot; he said. </p><p>House justice committee member Joel Chua of Manila meawhile described Duterte’s own petition at the Supreme Court a tactic to delay proceedingsthat resume next week.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/9/vp-duterte-any-foreign-attempt-to-interfere-with-ph-justice-a-direct-challenge-to-freedom-0500"><strong>VP Duterte on Day of Valor: Any foreign attempt to interfere with PH justice a &#x27;direct challenge to freedom&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>“The House is strictly following due process under the Constitution and House Rules,” Chua said.</p><p>Duterte has skipped panel hearings, with Ridon saying she would &quot;dismantle&quot; her SC petition if she attends.</p><p>“Kasi nga ang kanila pong posisyon ay hindi ho dapat tumawid, at umiiral ito pong proceedings po na ito sa House Committee on Justice,” Ridon told reporters on Friday. </p><div> </div><div><strong>SUBPOENA FOR HEARING TRANSCRIPTS, RECORDINGS</strong></div><p>The House justice committee has ordered House of Representatives Legislative Archives and Museum Management Service Director Marivic Pareja to submit House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability hearing transcripts and recordings in a subpoena dated March 31.</p><p>Also among documents requested are envelopes labeled “HOPE” submitted by former education undersecretary <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/25/ex-deped-official-claims-receiving-monthly-envelopes-from-duterte-1859"><strong>Gloria Mercado</strong></a>. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/7/house-panel-subpoenas-records-of-mary-grace-piattos-sara-duterte-taxes-1053"><strong>House panel subpoenas records of ‘Mary Grace Piattos,’ Sara Duterte taxes </strong></a></div><p>Mercado earlier told a House panel she was handed nine envelopes labeled “HOPE” that were said to have come directly from Duterte.  </p><p>Ridon said the envelopes are strong evidence that came out at previous House hearings.</p><p>He added the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed it will attend the hearing on April 14. </p><p>The NBI director was earlier subpoenaed to appear before the panel due to the bureau’s investigation into threats that Duterte allegedly made against the first couple and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p><p>Duterte has said her remarks were taken out of context. </p>

<p>Various individuals, including lawyers and former government officials, filed a motion for leave of court to intervene and a petition-in-intervention in the case at the Supreme Court against impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte. </p>

Various individuals, including lawyers and former government officials, filed a motion for leave of court to intervene and a petition-in-intervention in the case at the Supreme Court against impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte.

Supporters seek to join SC petition vs Duterte impeachment proceedings

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Supporters seek to join SC petition vs Duterte impeachment proceedings

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 10, 2026 07:03 PM PHT

Read More:

Supreme Court

impeachment

vice president

Sara Duterte

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