MANILA — The Supreme Court has definitively rejected the House of Representatives’ appeal to reverse its July 25, 2025, ruling that declared the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional.
In a resolution released Thursday, the SC unanimously affirmed that the fourth impeachment complaint, transmitted to the Senate on February 5, 2025, violated the Constitution’s one-year rule, which prohibits initiating more than one impeachment complaint against the same official within a 12-month period.
The Court clarified that an impeachment complaint is considered “initiated” once a verified complaint is referred to the House Committee on Justice, or if it is properly filed but not placed in the Order of Business within the required time. This interpretation triggered the one-year ban on subsequent complaints.
The SC also emphasized that due process must be observed for all impeachment complaints, ensuring House members receive copies of the complaint and the respondent is given an opportunity to respond.
The ruling immediately bars any new impeachment complaint against Duterte before February 6, 2026. The decision was unanimous among the 13 justices present, led by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.