Vice President Sara Duterte was buoyant yesterday as she offered thanks after the Supreme Court (SC) unanimously upheld its ruling that voided the impeachment case against her, but her detractors are not relenting.
The left-wing Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives indicated that it is now preparing to refile impeachment complaints.
This is necessary and in the interest of the Filipino people, as 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 Cohe insisted in a statement that the Vice President must be held accountable for her actions and omissions that have violated the public trust.
The confidential funds scandal, the misuse of public resources, and the pattern of abuse of authority cannot be swept under the rug simply because of procedural technicalities.
The trio said the Filipino people deserve answers, deserve accountability, and they deserve a Vice President who respects the Constitution and serves the public interest, not personal or political agendas.
VP Duterte said the High Court’s recent decision affirmed her claim that the House abused the impeachment process.
“First, I thank God. Second, I thank the lawyers who worked together to question the House of Representatives’ abuse of the impeachment process. Third, I thank my fellow Filipinos who continue to believe in and trust me,” Duterte said in a chance interview at the Hague, the Netherlands.
The SC ruled that the articles of impeachment against Duterte were unconstitutional, citing the constitutional ban on multiple impeachment proceedings within a single year.
The decision effectively blocked the Senate from proceeding with an impeachment trial.
Mr. Duterte made the remarks after visiting her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center.
She said she purposely did not inform his father about the SC ruling during the visit.
“I didn’t mention to him the denial of the motion for reconsideration because I no longer want to talk about the impeachment,” she said.
“My lawyers, they’ve been preparing. They were hired as early as the fourth quarter of 2023, the moment that one of the members of the House of Representatives announced that they would file a case against me. It was previously confirmed at the Office of the Speaker,” she said.
Respect for ruling
Malacañang reiterated that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his administration respect the tribunal’s decision.
In a press briefing at Malacañang, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro assured the High Court’s ruling would not affect the administration’s push for the President’s priority legislative measures.