Vice President Sara Duterte Challenges House Motion
Vice President Sara Duterte has firmly urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives. The motion seeks to overturn the court’s decision declaring the impeachment complaint against her “unconstitutional.” Sources said Duterte’s legal team emphasized the motion lacked merit and should be rejected.
In a detailed 27-page submission on Monday afternoon, Duterte’s lawyers argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling on the impeachment complaint requires no factual corrections. They pointed out that the House’s claims misinterpret the timeline of events, which the court carefully considered in its decision.
House’s Claims on Impeachment Complaint Timeline
The House contended that the Supreme Court misunderstood the sequence of complaints. According to officials, the first three impeachment complaints against Duterte were archived before the fourth complaint was filed. Additionally, they argued the court erred in stating the fourth complaint was transmitted without a plenary vote and that earlier complaints were dismissed due to Congress’s adjournment.
However, community members noted that Duterte’s legal team dismissed these points as distractions from the core issue. “These claims are, however, mere diversions obsessed with trivia and blind to the Decision’s genuine core reasoning,” they said. They stressed the main concern was the House’s alleged grave abuse of discretion and its disregard for constitutional limits on impeachment powers.
Legal Team Highlights Timing and Authority Issues
Although the fourth impeachment complaint was transmitted before the first three were archived, Duterte’s lawyers stressed that both actions occurred within minutes on the same day. Local leaders noted this close timing weakens the House’s argument that the order of events was crucial to the court’s ruling.
“That wafer-thin proximity demolishes their claim that sequence carried any significant weight on the ruling of the Court, and precludes significance of such supposed order as sole basis for its ratio decidendi,” the legal team said. They further argued the court’s decision was based on constitutional principles rather than technical timing details.
Motion Deemed Unauthorized Without Plenary Approval
Another key point raised by Duterte’s team was the motion’s lack of proper authorization. They explained that the House of Representatives is not a continuing body; each Congress operates independently. The motion for reconsideration, therefore, was not approved by the current 20th Congress and lacked legal authority.
“Absent this approval by the plenary, the Motion is unauthorized and legally infirm. It is a nullity that usurps the institutional authority of the 20th Congress itself,” the legal team stated. They also highlighted that the motion failed to present any convincing grounds to overturn the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Final Plea to the Supreme Court
In conclusion, Duterte’s legal representatives respectfully requested the Supreme Court to deny the motion for reconsideration filed on August 4, 2025, due to lack of merit. They also sought other equitable reliefs as appropriate.
Officials reported that the Vice President’s team remains confident that the Supreme Court’s decision stands on solid constitutional ground and expects the motion to be dismissed accordingly.
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