Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz R. Defensor on Monday said the House of Representatives will retain the Constitution’s “fast-track” impeachment route that allows cases endorsed by at least one-third of lawmakers to be sent directly to the Senate, as the chamber pushes back against what it views as judicial encroachment following a Supreme Court (SC) ruling on impeachment procedures.

Defensor, who chairs the Committee on the Revision of the House Rules, said the process is constitutionally mandated and cannot be removed.

“The fast mode stays, it cannot be removed because it is embodied clearly in the provisions of the Constitution,” Defensor said.

He argued that the High Court’s ruling “appears to have amended the Constitution and the intent of its framers,” describing it as a case of “judicial overreach,” while stressing that the House continues to respect the Supreme Court and the rule of law.

Defensor said the Constitution clearly provides for an expeditious impeachment process once an impeachment complaint is endorsed by at least one-third of all House members.

“It’s in the Constitution and filing an impeachment complaint and having it endorsed by at least one third of all the members of Congress will remain and should go directly to the Senate for trial, again, forthwith,” he said.

He underscored that the constitutional language on endorsements is explicit, noting that once the required one-third endorsement is met, the complaint should bypass committee proceedings and proceed straight to trial in the Senate.

“The Supreme Court should have not given suggestion though we respect our justices, and they should understand our disagreement with their decision,” Defensor said.

“Ang sabi ng Supreme Court kahit ‘di naman nila ni-lay down as a doctrine in that decision, it was a mere suggestion na baka pwedeng idaan din sa Committee on Justice kahit endorsed ng at least 1/3 of all the members of Congress, pero sinusunod namin ang Constitution. Ang Constitution ang pinakamataas na batas, ito ang Saligang Batas ng ating bansa, and whatever it is that's defective in that complaint, if it is endorsed by at least ⅓ of all the members of Congress, it is the Senate Impeachment Court that will decide the fate of that impeachment complaint,” he added.

Defensor said lawmakers are hoping that the principle of separation of powers will be respected and that impeachment will continue to be treated as a political question entrusted to the people through their elected representatives in Congress and the Senate.

He said the House will comply with the SC ruling but ensure that any revised House rules remain aligned with the Constitution and the intent of its framers.

On the core mechanism, Defensor remained firm.

“Whatever it is that's defective in that complaint, if it is endorsed by at least ⅓ of all the members of Congress, it is the Senate Impeachment Court that will decide the fate of that impeachment complaint.”

He added that once an impeachment complaint is transmitted, due process shifts to the Senate.

Defensor also said the House Committee on Justice has “60 session days to submit a report before the plenary.”