Supreme Court Halts Duterte Impeachment Trial

The Supreme Court blocked the impending Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday, citing a constitutional provision against multiple impeachment proceedings within a single year. The House of Representatives charged Duterte with graft, corruption, and an alleged assassination plot against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. A conviction would have led to her removal as vice president and a ban from public office.

The court ruled that the fourth impeachment complaint filed in February violated the Constitution, which prohibits more than one impeachment proceeding against the same official within a 12-month period. While the vice president was not exonerated, the court emphasized the need for compliance with constitutional safeguards in filing and transmitting impeachment complaints.

Duterte's defense team welcomed the ruling, affirming the complaint's constitutional infirmity. The Senate Impeachment Court respected the decision, highlighting unresolved legal questions surrounding the complaint. Senators had mixed reactions, with some questioning the ruling's interpretation of the 'one-year bar rule.'

Senate President Vicente Sotto III emphasized the importance of hearing from the House and indicated a legal adviser's suggestion to disregard the ruling. The House's spokesman stated that the impeachment process is a vital democratic safeguard, emphasizing the House's exclusive power to initiate impeachment.

The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition criticized the ruling's reliance on technicalities, arguing that due process was not denied as the trial had not yet begun. ATOM expressed dismay at the Court's decision, accusing it of halting accountability and shielding a public official from scrutiny.

According to the source: The Manila Times.