Malacañang on Friday reiterated that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his administration respect the Supreme Court’s (SC) unanimous decision denying with finality the House of Representatives’ motion for reconsideration of the ruling that voided the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a press briefing at Malacañang, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro assured the High Court’s ruling would not affect the administration’s push for the President’s priority legislative measures.
“Igagalang po ng Pangulo, ng administrasyon kung anuman po ang naging desisyon ng Supreme Court patungkol po diyan. Hindi naman po ito makakaapekto sa mga priority bills na nais ng Pangulo na maipasa (The President and the administration will respect whatever decision the Supreme Court has made on this matter. This will not affect the priority bills that the President wants to be passed),” Castro said.
She emphasized that the Supreme Court is the final authority on legal matters in the country.
“So muli, ang Supreme Court po ang siyang final arbiter ng mga legal issues so nirirespeto po iyan ng Pangulo (Once again, the Supreme Court is the final arbiter of legal issues, and the President respects that),” she added.
When asked whether the Palace has any appeal or message to Congress, particularly the House of Representatives, amid plans to refile the impeachment case or amend impeachment rules, Castro said the executive branch would not interfere with legislative affairs.
“Trabaho po iyan ng Kongreso, hindi po makikialam ang Pangulo (That is the work of Congress. The President will not interfere),” she said.
Castro was also asked to comment on claims that the SC ruling was based merely on technical grounds and did not amount to a vindication of Vice President Duterte, as well as whether the decision could help ease political tensions in the country.
She said the ruling should be read in its entirety and clarified that it did not rule on the merits of the accusations involved.
“Makikita naman po at mababasa natin kung ano naging desisyon ng Supreme Court. Hindi po ito patungkol sa paglilinis sa isang issue ng nasabing subject matter sa nasabing desisyon (We can see and read what the Supreme Court’s decision actually says. It is not about clearing the issue or the subject matter involved in the decision),” Castro said.
She reiterated the President’s consistent position on accountability, adding, “If there is accountability, as the President has said, then those who should be held accountable must be held accountable.”
The Palace maintained that while it respects the SC’s ruling, issues of responsibility and accountability remain subject to the rule of law and proper legal processes.