The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday said it would comply with the order of the Supreme Court (SC) requiring Duterte and several lawyers to comment on the appeal filed by the House of Representatives to reverse the SC's ruling on Duterte's impeachment.
“We will comply with the order of the Supreme Court and submit our comment within the period provided,” Duterte’s defense team spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said in a Viber message to reporters.
Duterte, lawyer Israeli Torreon, and others were required by the Supreme Court to comment on the motion for reconsideration within a non-extendible period of 10 days from notice.
On Monday, the House of Representatives filed a motion for reconsideration, urging the High Court to perform its exclusive duty to prosecute an impeachable official and for the Senate to try the case.
The SC earlier declared that the articles of impeachment against Duterte are barred by the one-year rule under the Constitution.
The High Court also ruled that the articles violated Duterte’s right to due process. Because of this, it said the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings.
The SC maintained that its decision is immediately executory.
On 5 February, the House of Representatives impeached the Vice President, with 215 lawmakers voting in favor of adopting the articles of impeachment against her.
She stands accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes over, among other things, the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, which she concurrently headed.