Pro-Duterte lawyers’ SC bid vs Sara impeachment ‘abuse' of process — analyst

The petition seeking to stop the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, filed by a group of lawyers closely allied with her family, was an “abuse” if not “misuse” of judicial remedies and legal process, a policy analyst and constitutionalist said Monday. 

Lawyer Michael Henry Yusingco asserted that the lawyers have no standing in court to invoke judicial review because they do not legally represent Duterte in the petition, which is “not allowed in the rules of the court,” thereby making the filing “irregular.”

“I think it's an abuse or misuse of the judicial remedy of certiorari. It's a misuse or abuse of legal processes,” Yusingco said in a radio interview. 

“They do not represent Vice President Duterte in the petition, and yet the subject matter of the petition relates personally to Vice President Duterte. So, you can see the irregularity there,” he added. 

This is aggravated by the VP’s admission that she had no hand in the SC petition, saying she was not consulted by the said lawyers, though Yusingco called it “impossible,” given their affiliation.

The SC, in previous instances, had already dismissed petitions for lack of standing (locus standi)—an essential requisite for judicial review—where petitioners failed to allege a personal or substantial interest in the case.

For instance, in Dumlao vs. Commission on Elections, the SC ruled that the petitioners, who asserted an interest in the case as taxpayers, lacked standing. 

Led by Davao-based lawyer Israelito Torreon, who is also the counsel of jailed televangelist Apollo Quiboloy and Senator Bato de la Rosa, the lawyers who filed the SC petition include former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez, ex-Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chief Martin Delgra, former budget chief Wendel Avisado, and Jimmy Bondoc.

They filed it as private citizens and taxpayers.

Torreon is also among the petitioners who challenged the first verified impeachment complaint against the VP in 2025, which the SC later declared as void and unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar rule.

In the 186-page petition filed on 27 March, they asked the SC to issue a temporary restraining order to block the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the VP in the House of Representatives. This includes “hearings, deliberations, voting subpoenas, compulsory processes, committee reports, resolutions, recommendations, and any committee or plenary proceedings anchored.”

The pro-Duterte lawyers accused the House justice committee of “grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction” for declaring the third and fourth impeachment complaints against Duterte as sufficient in form, substance, and grounds.

The verified complaints charge Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, bribery, graft, and corruption involving the alleged misuse of her confidential funds.

Yusingco said the House justice panel should continue the impeachment proceedings, unless the SC ruled in favor of the petitioners and issues a TRO.

“There's no reason for them to stop unless the Supreme Court says so via TRO…But other than that, they must proceed with the work that they're doing now,” he averred.

The VP remains headstrong that the new impeachment case against her was a mere “fishing expedition.” She also has not attended hearings despite the summons.  The House justice panel aims to conclude the impeachment proceedings in May.