Leonen reminds Congress: Hearings aren’t courts

Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen has reminded both the Senate and the House of Representatives that they cannot act as a court or a prosecutor when conducting inquiries in aid of legislation.

In a separate concurring opinion to the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the petitions filed by pro-Duterte vloggers against the House Tri-Committee, Leonen stressed that Congress has no authority to determine the guilt of individuals invited to its hearings.

He underscored that Congress is neither a law enforcement body nor a trial agency, and that its investigations must always be tied to its core constitutional duty: crafting laws.

“No matter how noble the intentions of Congress are, they cannot assume powers that belong to our prosecutorial bodies and courts,” Leonen wrote.

He further explained: “The determination of who is liable for a crime or illegal activity, the investigation of each official’s role, the decision on who should face prosecution, and the task of making findings of fact regarding anomalies — especially the determination of criminal guilt — are not functions of Congress.”

Leonen reiterated that any inquiry must be “related to, and in furtherance of, a legitimate task of Congress.”