The Philippine supreme court ruled on 25/7 that the house of representatives violated the constitution by attempting to impeach vice president Sara Duterte multiple times within a year. The 1987 Philippine constitution stipulates that impeachment proceedings cannot be initiated against an official more than once in a year.
"The supreme court concludes that the house's impeachment bid against Ms. Duterte is blocked due to this violation. The right to due process must be upheld at every stage of the impeachment process", supreme court spokesperson Camille Ting said.
The court affirmed that the principles of "fairness and due process" must always be ensured, including in impeachment proceedings. Ms. Ting noted that "the right action must be taken in the right way, at the right time".
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Vice president Sara Duterte addresses voters in the Philippines on 8/5. Photo: AFP |
Vice president Sara Duterte addresses voters in the Philippines on 8/5. Photo: AFP
House representatives have initiated impeachment proceedings against Ms. Duterte, daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, 4 times since December 2024, on charges of corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other offenses.
The 4th impeachment bid was filed on 5/2, with the house accusing Ms. Duterte of corruption, bribery, and plotting to assassinate president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. If convicted by the senate, she would have been removed from the vice presidency and permanently barred from government service.
The supreme court clarified that blocking the impeachment trial does not absolve Ms. Duterte of the accusations. The house can initiate new impeachment proceedings, provided the motion is filed after 5/2/2026.
Vice president Sara Duterte has maintained that the impeachment efforts are politically motivated. She has also denied the allegations of threatening president Marcos Jr., claiming her previous statements were misinterpreted.
"The supreme court's decision reflects the spirit of upholding the rule of law, reinforcing the constitutional provisions against abuse of the impeachment process", Ms. Duterte's legal team commented. "We remain prepared to address all allegations at the appropriate time and within the proper framework".
Thanh Danh (Reuters, AFP, PhilStar)
