Sara Duterte has asked the Supreme Court of the Philippines to intervene in the impeachment proceedings against her, arguing that the process may violate the Constitution. The SC has ordered the House of Representatives of the Philippines to submit a comment within 10 non-extendible days, giving the House an opportunity to justify the ongoing impeachment case.
The consolidated petitions, including one filed by lawyers led by Israelito Torreon, sought a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to halt the proceedings, but the SC clarified that no TRO has been issued.
Duterte contends that the complaints filed by Saballa and Cabrera violate Article XI Section 3(5) of the Constitution, which prohibits more than one impeachment proceeding against the same official in a year. She also argued that the House justice committee, chaired by Gerville Reyes-Luistro, exceeded its authority by conducting what was described as a “mini-trial” and issuing subpoenas for bank records, National Bureau of Investigation materials, and affidavits, which she and her legal team claim goes beyond the committee’s role of screening cases.
Torreon emphasized that the petitions are intended to ensure the impeachment process remains constitutional, rather than to shield Duterte from accountability.
