SC BLOCKS IMPEACHMENT VS VP SARA

THE Supreme Court (SC) has blocked the impeachment bid against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The SC En Banc ruled that the Articles of Impeachment against VP Sara is barred by the one-year rule under the Constitution.

SC spokesperson Camille Ting on Friday told reporters that the impeachment vote violated a constitutional ban on having multiple impeachment proceedings in a year.

However, Ting said the High Tribunal’s ruling does not bar the refiling of the complaint after a year or in February 2026.

Ting said that apart from the one-year ban, the SC En Banc also found the impeachment complaint against VP Sara to be violative of her right to due process, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution.

The SC spokesoerson quoted the SC En Banc’s unanimous decision declaring the impeachment complaint against the Vice President unconstitutional: “Our fundamental law is clear — the end does not justify the means.”

“There is a right way to do the right things at the right time. This is what the rule of just law means. This is what the fairness or due process of law means even for impeachment,”  the SC decision also stated.

Meanwhile, senators have split reactions regarding the blocking of the impeachment trial against VP Duterte.

Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed dismay on the SC ruling.

“Wiith all due respect, nakakadismaya itong biglaang pagpigil ng Korte Suprema sa pagdaraos ng impeachment trial laban kay VP Sara Duterte. Maliwanag naman na sinabi ng Korte Suprema na hindi nila pinapawalang-sala si VP Duterte, at maaaring mai-file ang impeachment complaint ulit next year, Hontiveros said.

“Isa sa ipinagtataka natin ay kung paano naviolate ang “one year bar rule” ngayong iisa lang naman ang kaso na iniakyat sa Senado, ayon na rin sa desisyon mismo ng Korte Suprema sa Gutierrez vs. House of Representatives (G.R. No. 193459),” she further said.

“Bukod pa, nakakabahala na tila nagdagdag ng napakaraming requirement ang Korte Suprema para simulan ang proseso ng impeachment. I can only hope that this new ruling will not adversely affect future efforts to hold our highest public officers accountable, she added.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada said the Senate has always been firmly committed to the rule of law.

“As a co-equal branch of government, we must abide by the decision of the Supreme Court. Even in a political process like impeachment proceedings, we must adhere to established procedures and due process to ensure that our actions are neither arbitrary nor solely driven by political agendas,” Estrada said.

The House of Representatives had voted to impeach Duterte in February after she was accused of misusing public funds and threatening to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr..