The House Committee on Justice on Monday said the recent ruling of the Supreme Court on the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte has no bearing on the ongoing impeachment proceedings against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.

San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria J. Zamora, a vice chairperson of the panel, said the High Court’s decision pertained specifically to the impeachment complaint filed last year against the Vice President by more than a third of House members.

“The impeachment complaint then was under the second mode, or the mode which requires a one-third vote of all members of the House of Representatives,” Zamora told her colleagues.

Zamora explained that the two impeachment complaints against President Marcos Jr. were filed by private citizens, endorsed by members of Congress, and referred within the proper period to the House Committee on Justice.

“So, Madam Chair, there is no effect on the proceedings before this committee,” Zamora said.

She noted that the Supreme Court ruling focused on defining the term “session days” in relation to the counting of days when the impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte was included in the House Order of Business and later referred to the committee last year.

Zamora said that based on the Court’s interpretation of “session days,” the complaint against the Vice President was deemed “barred.”

Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, who chairs the committee, and Bukidnon Rep. Keith Flores, another vice chairperson, agreed with Zamora’s position.

“I agree, it has no effect because the pending impeachment complaints were filed under the first mode by private citizens and endorsed by House members,” Luistro said.

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, also a committee vice chairperson, said the Supreme Court defined “session days” as “calendar days.”

Garbin added that based on this definition, and counting from last Thursday when the two complaints against the President were referred to the committee, the panel has until May 26 to submit its report.

Luistro cautioned lawmakers against making their own interpretations of the Supreme Court ruling, particularly on the impeachment timetable, and urged them to leave such matters to House leadership and the proper committees.