Rep. Cendaña, political analyst face contempt raps over SC comments

Metro Manila, Philippines - Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña and political analyst Richard Heydarian are facing indirect charges for their alleged undermining remarks against the Supreme Court (SC) after it declared the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional.

Lawyers Mark Tolentino and Rolex Suplico filed the petition with the SC on Wednesday, July 30.

They cited Heydarian’s social media post, in which he said: “FACT: DUTERTE had APPOINTED as many as 13 out of 15 SUPREME COURT justices by 2022.” The political analyst was referring to former President Rodrigo Duterte, the vice president’s father.

“It deliberately and maliciously framed the Justices as beholden to former President Rodrigo Duterte, thereby attributing impropriety, lack of independence, and judicial bias to the Supreme court as an institution,” the lawyers stated in the petition.

They also cited Cendaña’s video statement, wherein he said: “The Supreme Court has reduced itself to being the Supreme Coddler of Sara Duterte.”

In their petition, the lawyers noted, “As a public officer and legislator, he holds a duty to uphold respect for co-equal branches of government, particularly the Judiciary. His statement directly accused the Court of betraying its constitutional mandate.”

“They were malicious and contemptuous interventions deliberately designed to delegitimize the High Court,” they added.

The lawyers also called on the court to issue a cease-and-desist order to prevent “further statements undermining the Court.”

Meanwhile, Cendaña said the move against him was a “modus” of Duterte allies against critics.

“Kung ito ang consequence ng pagpapanagot kay VP Sara Duterte sa kanyang pangungulimbat ng P612 Million ng confidential funds, then I am at peace. Laging sulit ang pagtindig sa tama. Walang pagsisisi, walang pagdududa,” he said in a statement.

[Translation: If this is the consequence of holding VP Sara Duterte accountable for corrupting P612 million in confidential funds, then I am at peace. Standing for truth is always worth it. No regrets, no doubts.]

Heydarian, on the other hand, expressed confidence in the SC and its judges “to not bother with frivolous petitions by politically-motivated groups.”

“I have repeatedly clarified, important to respect the institutional integrity of the court despite spirited disagreements,” he said in a social media post.

In February, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte for her supposed mismanagement of confidential funds, bribery, and kill threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.

READ: ‘Xiaome Ocho’: Solon finds more dubious recipients of VP Duterte’s confidential funds

The House said it will appeal the SC decision.