VP to Impeachment Court: Dismiss ‘void’ complaint

Metro Manila, Philippines - Vice President Sara Duterte has sought the dismissal of the complaint filed against her in her response to the Impeachment Court summons.

Duterte submitted an answer ad cautelam on Monday, June 23, the final day of the 10-day period set by the court. In the document, she said that by filing a response, she is not waiving her jurisdictional or any other legal objections to the case.

She also urged the Impeachment Court to dismiss the complaint, arguing that it is the fourth filed against her within a year and is therefore void ab initio - or void from the beginning - for violating the Constitution’s one-year ban on filing successive impeachment complaints.

A snippet of the document was first released by the House of Representatives after it received a copy at 3:53 p.m.

At around 6 p.m., a representative for Duterte officially filed the voluminous document with the Senate, where it was received by Senate Secretary Rey Bantug.

The Constitution states that the Senate, sitting as Impeachment Court, shall forthwith try and decide on impeachment cases. A case is pending at the Supreme Court that questions the constitutionality of Duterte’s impeachment.

The House impeached Duterte on Feb. 5, marking the first time a vice president has been sent to trial.

The Articles of Impeachment accused Duterte of betrayal of public trust, culpable violations of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

The complaint cites alleged actions such as verbal threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, misuse of confidential funds, bribery of education officials, amassing of unexplained wealth, involvement in extrajudicial killings, and attempts to destabilize the government—arguing that the totality of her conduct as Vice President merits impeachment.