Impeachment Court Against Sara Duterte Moves Forward
Senators confirmed that the impeachment court against Vice President Sara Duterte will continue its proceedings despite a Supreme Court (SC) ruling that declared the fourth impeachment complaint against her as “unconstitutional.” The impeachment court against Sara Duterte remains active and independent, officials said.
Senator Joel Villanueva explained that the impeachment court is “sui generis,” meaning it operates uniquely and separately from regular courts. “Whether the Supreme Court made that decision or not, the impeachment court will proceed. We’ll proceed,” he said during a chance interview.
He added, “I’m sure someone will raise it during the impeachment proceedings. For sure, someone will raise it. But the impeachment court is sui generis. So we will proceed. So these are all questions that will be raised with the decision of the Supreme Court.” Villanueva drew parallels to the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, where the Senate impeachment court ignored a temporary restraining order issued by the SC after voting to proceed.
Senate Precedent Supports Proceeding
“So there is a precedent … it’s still the impeachment court’s decision,” Villanueva emphasized. This precedent highlights the Senate’s authority in impeachment trials, even when conflicting with Supreme Court rulings.
Similarly, Senator Vicente Sotto III shared that a “legal luminary” advised the Senate impeachment court could disregard the SC’s decision. However, Sotto noted that this advice still requires further study. “Being a member of the impeachment court, I would rather hear what the [House of Representatives] has to say,” he said in a separate interview.
He added, “I was just told by a legal luminary that in this situation, we can disregard the SC decision. Let me study that advice.” The senators’ statements reinforce the commitment to proceed with the impeachment court against Sara Duterte despite legal challenges.
Local leaders noted that this independence maintains the integrity of the impeachment process, ensuring the case moves forward without undue delay or influence from other branches of government.
For more news and updates on impeachment court against Sara Duterte, visit Filipinokami.com.
