House Commits to Supreme Court on Vice President Sara Duterte Impeachment
NASUGBU, Batangas — The House of Representatives has pledged full compliance with the Supreme Court’s order to submit additional details regarding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. This high-profile case is currently being challenged at the Supreme Court.
House spokesperson Princess Abante confirmed that the House has officially received the Supreme Court’s resolution consolidating petitions filed by Duterte and other lawyers seeking to dismiss the impeachment trial against her. “We confirm that the House has officially received a copy of the Supreme Court’s Resolution dated July 8, 2025, in G.R. No. 278353 and 278359, or the twin petitions filed by Vice-President Sara Zimmerman Duterte and Atty. Isrelito P. Torreon, et al., to challenge the impeachment trial pending before the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court,” Abante stated.
She added, “The House of Representatives and Secretary-General Reginald S. Velasco, as respondents in the said petitions, have been required to submit the additional information enumerated in the Resolution, and will comply accordingly.”
Details Required by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court gave the House 10 calendar days from receipt of the resolution to file its reply. Among the information requested is the status of the first three complaints filed by private citizens, and the exact dates when these complaints were endorsed by members of Congress.
Specifically, the court asked whether the Secretary-General has discretion on when to transmit properly endorsed impeachment complaints to the Speaker of the House, and the authority behind any refusal to transmit these complaints within 10 session days. The court also requested a timeline showing how many session days passed between endorsement and transmittal for inclusion in the Order of Business.
Additionally, the court wants to know which office or committee prepared the draft of the Articles of Impeachment transmitted to the Senate, when it was completed, and the details of its circulation among House members. They also inquired if the evidence supporting each Article was provided or accompanied by a committee report, and whether Vice President Sara Duterte was given the opportunity to respond to the evidence shared with the House.
Moreover, the court asked if members of the House had sufficient time to review the charges and evidence before consenting, and when the Articles of Impeachment were included in the Order of Business for plenary consideration.
Coordination with Office of Solicitor General
Abante noted that the resolution has been forwarded to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), which will serve as counsel for the House. “We have already referred the Resolution to the Office of the Solicitor General, as our counsel, and shall coordinate closely with the OSG to ensure the submission of the required information within the non-extendible period of ten (10) days provided by the Supreme Court,” she said.
Background on Vice President Sara Duterte Impeachment
The impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte was filed last February 5 after 215 lawmakers signed a fourth complaint. This complaint alleges misuse of confidential funds within her offices, threats against ranking officials, and other potential violations of the Constitution.
Following constitutional requirements, the Articles of Impeachment were immediately sent to the Senate, as the 1987 Constitution mandates a trial to begin once at least one-third of all House members—102 out of 306—have signed and endorsed the petition.
In the same month, two petitions were filed with the Supreme Court seeking to halt the impeachment proceedings. Initially, Mindanao-based lawyers asked the court to stop the Senate from proceeding, citing that the House did not observe the Constitution’s 10-session-day rule to act on complaints. However, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco stated the issue became moot after the three unused complaints were archived.
Later, it became known that Vice President Sara Duterte herself, represented by lawyers including her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to halt the impeachment trial. Their argument rests on the constitutional provision allowing only one impeachment complaint against a sitting official per year.
For more news and updates on Vice President Sara Duterte impeachment, visit Filipinokami.com.
