House answers SC order to give info on Duterte impeach bid

Lawyer Princess Abante, spokesperson of the House of Representatives. — File photo

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has complied with the Supreme Court’s (SC) directive to give information and documents on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte under oath, its spokesperson Princess Abante said on Saturday.

The SC’s July 8 order was the result of petitions filed by Duterte and other lawyers seeking to stop her impeachment trial.

In a statement, Abante said the Office of the Solicitor General, the House’s counsel, submitted the pleading online through the Philippine Judiciary Portal and served all parties through electronic service.

She added that a physical copy will be submitted to the Supreme Court through personal service on Monday.

The Vice President is accused of culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes, particularly her alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds.

READ: House vows to submit additional impeachment details to SC

The complaints

What was the status of the first three complaints filed by private citizens? Abante said, “All three initial complaints were included in the Order of Business within the ten-session-day period required by the Constitution.”

“The fourth complaint, signed and verified by more than one-third of House Members, effectively constituted the Articles of Impeachment and was transmitted directly to the Senate, rendering the earlier complaints moot and subject to archiving,” she added.

The first complaint was filed by civil society organizations and endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña on Dec. 2, 2024.

The second was filed by progressive groups on Dec. 4, 2024. It was endorsed by the Makabayan bloc, which was then composed of ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel.

The third was filed by religious groups, lawyers and non-government organizations on Dec. 19, 2024. It was endorsed by Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. and AAMBIS-OWA party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Cris Colada.

The fourth was endorsed by 215 House members on Feb. 5, 2025. It ultimately constituted the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte transmitted to the Senate.

“The House stands by its position that all four impeachment complaints were handled in full compliance with the Constitution,” Abante stressed.

READ: Senators split on date of convening impeachment court for Sara Duterte

Discretion

The SC directive also sought to clarify whether the House secretary-general had discretion on when to transmit endorsed impeachment complaints to the Speaker.

“In the Compliance, the House also emphasized that, with the utmost respect for the Supreme Court, it was asserting its exclusive authority over its internal deliberative functions, an authority grounded on the fundamental principle of separation of powers and the legislature’s status as a co-equal branch of government,” Abante explained.

Another point of clarification the SC made was whether House members had time to peruse the charges and evidence before endorsing the fourth complaint.

The House spokesperson said, “There is no constitutional requirement detailing how individual members must review the complaint before signing, nor is there any basis for questioning their certification under oath that they studied and understood the charges and supporting documents.”

The high tribunal further asked if Duterte was given the chance to be heard on the evidence supposedly shared with House members.

“We reiterate that the Vice President’s right to due process is fully preserved through the impeachment trial itself, where she will have the opportunity to defend herself and present evidence,” Abante said.

READ: Sara Duterte’s trial: War of words rages outside Senate as impeachment court

Trial

The Senate initially convened as an impeachment court on June 10 but remanded the articles of impeachment to the House, seeking a certification that the complaint did not violate the Constitution’s “one-year bar” rule, and that the 20th Congress would still pursue the process.

Sen. Joel Villanueva said there had been informal talks between some senators and Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero to start the trial on Aug. 4 to give the chamber time to handle housekeeping matters for the 20th Congress.

However, Sens. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said they wanted the impeachment court to be convened “at the earliest possible time,” since the trial had already been delayed for five months.

The first session of the 20th Congress will commence on July 28, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address.

“The House remains committed to transparency, constitutional fidelity, and upholding the rule of law,” Abante stressed.

“We trust that the Supreme Court will accord the same deference to the prerogatives of a co-equal branch of government as enshrined in our democratic framework,” she added. /das