The House of Representatives issued varying reactions to the Supreme Court’s recent decision affirming its earlier ruling junking the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said the chamber recognizes the Supreme Court’s decision on the Articles of Impeachment filed against the Vice President.
“Ang impeachment ay isang prosesong malinaw na itinatakda ng Konstitusyon at may tiyak na pamantayan. Mahalaga po ang pag-iingat sa proseso ng impeachment—isang pananagutang kaakibat ng mandato na ipinagkatiwala sa atin ng sambayanang Pilipino,” Dy said.
House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos said he had inhibited himself from the entire impeachment process involving the President.
“I have inhibited myself from the entire impeachment process involving the President,” Marcos said.
He added, “My inhibition likewise extends to the Committee on Justice, where my role is limited to an ex officio capacity by virtue of my position as Majority Leader.”
Marcos said the Committee on Justice will discharge its mandate independently and in full accordance with the Constitution and the Rules of the House.
Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand L. Hernandez of South Cotabato said the House of Representatives takes note of the Supreme Court’s decision resolving the motion for reconsideration related to the impeachment case involving Vice President Duterte.
He said that as a co-equal branch of government, the House fully respects the Supreme Court as the final arbiter on issues of constitutionality.
“This respect is grounded in our shared commitment to the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the orderly functioning of democratic institutions,” Hernandez said.
He added that the House remains guided by its constitutional mandate and reaffirmed its commitment to upholding democratic principles, institutional respect, and the rule of law.
Former senator and now Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila De Lima, meanwhile, said the ruling did not clear the Vice President of the allegations raised against her.
"SC's ruling rests on technicality. Magagamit ito sa susunod na filing. Still not a vindication. Wala pa ring nalinis na pangalan," De Lima said.
The Makabayan bloc also took note of the Supreme Court En Banc’s decision denying with finality the motion for reconsideration filed by the House assailing the Court’s earlier ruling that declared the articles of impeachment against Duterte unconstitutional.
Makabayan bloc members ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co said the ruling effectively disabled the “fast track mode” of impeachment that House leaders attempted to use in processing the complaint against the Vice President.
The lawmakers said the decision makes future impeachment proceedings more difficult, adding that the constitutional mechanism allowing one-third of House members to hold top officials accountable would now be harder for citizens to pursue.
They also said the ruling effectively rewrote the rules on impeachment in favor of impeachable officials, including the President and Vice President.
“Despite this adverse ruling, we believe that the issues raised in the impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte—including her alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes—remain valid and must be addressed through the proper constitutional process,” the bloc said.