PDP-Laban spokesperson Atty. Ferdinand Topacio on Friday has challenged former Senator Leila de Lima to either contest the impeachment court’s orders before the Supreme Court (SC) or remain silent, amid what he described as conflicting statements from the House prosecution panel.

This comes as Topacio accused De Lima of having “forked tongues” regarding the Senate’s requirements for the impeachment complaint. The Senate, acting as an impeachment court, has requested the House to certify that the complaint adheres to the constitutional one-year ban rule and to affirm its continued interest in pursuing a case initiated by the previous 19th Congress.

Topacio highlighted De Lima’s claim that these requirements are “ultra vires” or beyond legal power, contrasting it with another congressman’s statement that the House is working toward compliance.

“What is it really?” Topacio questioned, urging De Lima to “test her theory before the Supreme Court” if she genuinely believes the Senate’s demands exceed its authority.

He also referenced De Lima’s alleged disregard for a Supreme Court Temporary Restraining Order in the 2011 case involving then-Representative Gloria Arroyo, a case which De Lima ultimately lost.

“If De Lima does not have the courage of her convictions, then she should keep silent; in other words, put up or shut up,” Topacio said. He added that if she cannot abide by the impeachment court’s orders, she has “no place in the prosecution panel, or even as a member of the Bar.”