Amid the Supreme Court’s ruling junking with finality the motion for reconsideration on the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives, the Makabayan bloc said it is now prepared to refile an impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The group said the move is necessary and in the interest of the Filipino people, stressing that accountability cannot wait and justice must be served.
ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co said the Vice President must be held accountable for actions and omissions that allegedly violated public trust.
They cited the confidential funds controversy, the alleged misuse of public resources, and what they described as a pattern of abuse of authority, saying these issues cannot be dismissed on the basis of procedural technicalities.
The lawmakers said the Filipino people deserve answers and accountability, and a Vice President who respects the Constitution and serves the public interest rather than personal or political agendas.
“The anger and demand for accountability from the Filipino people cannot be archived or dismissed. It must be brought to the proper forum where the truth can be established and justice can be served,” the three said in a statement.
They added that their bloc, together with concerned citizens and progressive organizations, will continue to pursue all legal and constitutional remedies to ensure that Vice President Duterte faces the charges against her. They also called on their colleagues in Congress and Filipinos who value accountability and good governance to support the effort.
The Makabayan bloc said the Supreme Court’s final ruling effectively disabled the so-called “fast-track mode” of impeachment that House leadership attempted to use in processing the complaint against the Vice President.
With the ruling, they said future impeachment proceedings have become more difficult, as the mechanism to hold the country’s highest officials accountable through a one-third vote of the House of Representatives would now be harder for citizens to pursue. They argued that the Supreme Court effectively rewrote the rules for impeachment in favor of impeachable officials, including the President and Vice President.
Despite the adverse ruling, the group maintained that the issues raised in the impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte—including 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.
Meanwhile, Manila Rep. Joel Chua said the House of Representatives may revise its impeachment rules following the Supreme Court’s final ruling that declared the articles of impeachment against the Vice President unconstitutional.
Chua, a member of the House prosecution team, said the ruling affirmed that due process applies to impeachment proceedings and laid down several requirements that must be followed. He said he would discuss possible changes to the impeachment rules with his colleagues to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court decision.
“As a member of the House prosecution team and of the House Committee on Justice, I will confer with my colleagues on how best to revise the Rules on Impeachment as we deem fit and in ways that comply with the Supreme Court decision,” Chua said.
A House leader said the chamber will revise its Rules of Impeachment, as provided under House rules, to comply with the Supreme Court decision declaring the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte illegal.