House appeals SC ruling on Duterte impeachment
Metro Manila, Philippines - The House of Representatives appealed on Monday, Aug. 4, the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The SC has ruled that the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte were unconstitutional.
The House, through the Office of the Solicitor General, filed a motion for reconsideration before the high court.
It assured the court that there was “no neglect or willful inaction” to the first three impeachment complaints filed against the vice president; the fourth impeachment complaint did not violate the one-year bar rule; and there was no violation of due process.
READ: House impeaches Duterte
“There are no convictions or acquittals at play yet, as the Senate has not even begun to conduct the trial-proper. It only asks that this Honorable Court allow Congress to perform the duties the Constitution asks of both its chambers,” the motion stated.
“The House asks this Honorable Court not to stand with a certain political faction or another, but to uphold the Constitution, which gives life to all the institutions of government, and with the people, who in turn, are the true sovereign, and to whom all accountability, trust, and power, are owed,” it added.
Speaker Martin Romualdez said the move was “an act of duty” not of defiance.
“The Constitution says: ‘The House of Representatives shall have the exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment.’... The Supreme Court ruled otherwise – based on a misreading of facts and a retroactive imposition of new rules,” the speaker said in a video statement.
In February, the House impeached Duterte on the grounds of graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and other high crimes. The impeachment complaint was signed by 215 lawmakers, more than one-third of the required signatures to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate without a panel hearing.
The Senate is set to reconvene as an Impeachment Court on Aug. 6.
