Metro Manila, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, Jan. 29, upheld its ruling that declared Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment in 2025 as unconstitutional.
In a press briefing, SC spokesperson Camille Ting said the court unanimously denied with finality the appeal of the House of Representatives to reverse its decision.
Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa did not participate in the ruling, while Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh was on leave.
“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.
“No further pleadings will be allowed,” she added.
In its briefer, the SC said the first three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte in December 2024 were not placed in the House Order of Business within the required ten session days.
SC interpreted session days as a calendar day in which the House holds a session and not just legislative session days.
The court said the House inaction on the impeachment complaints means the process was deemed initiated.
The SC added that the complaint may be deemed initiated “when no articles of impeachment are transmitted to the Senate before the House of Representatives adjourns sine die. This means that the initiation of an impeachment complaint must occur during the term of Congress.”
In July 2025, the court unanimously ruled that Duterte’s impeachment was barred by the one year-rule in initiating impeachment proceedings.
It previously said “it took note that the House in the 19th Congress did not act on the first three endorsed complaints, which were considered terminated or dismissed upon the adjournment of the House” on Feb. 5 – when over 200 lawmakers signed the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte.
The SC ruled that no impeachment complaint can be initiated against Duterte earlier than Feb. 6, 2026.
The court also said while the impeachment process violated the Constitution, it does not absolve Duterte from any of the charges against her.
In August, the Senate, sitting as the Impeachment Court, archived Duterte’s case, following the SC decision.
Duterte was impeached for betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, among others over alleged budget misuse and threats to the presidential family.
In a statement, the Duterte defense team said the SC affirmation of its ruling means the case has been put to rest.
“We thank the Honorable Court for a ruling that now definitively lays down clear and authoritative guidance on the constitutional limits and proper treatment of impeachment proceedings,” it said.
‘Impeachment now an impossible dream’
Meanwhile, a number of critics and lawmakers slammed the decision, hinting fresh complaints against the vice president.
In a statement, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said “impeachment may now be an impossible dream” with “a clear encroachment on the power of the legislative branch.”
“The Constitution had just been amended unconstitutionally through Supreme Court overreach. It will take decades of retirements to correct this misinterpretation,” he said.
ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, who was supposed to be one of the House prosecutors, said the ruling does not mean vindication as it “rests on technicality.”
“Wala pa ring nalilinis na pangalan,” she said.
[Translation: No name was cleared.]
The three-member Makabayan bloc at the House also expressed dismay, but vowed to refile an impeachment complaint once the one-year bar rule expires on Feb. 6.
