The House of Representatives says it has met the Supreme Court’s demand to explain how it handled the impeachment complaints vs. Vice President Sara Duterte, spokesperson lawyer Princess Abante, confirmed in a statement Saturday, July 19.
According to Abante, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), acting as the legal counsel of the House, electronically filed the required compliance through the Philippine Judiciary Portal and has officially served copies to all parties. A physical copy is set to be submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday.
“The House of Representatives, through its counsel, the Office of the Solicitor General, filed Friday its compliance to the Supreme Court’s directive to provide information on the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte,” Abante stated.
In its submission, the House reiterated that all four impeachment complaints were handled strictly in accordance with constitutional mandates. The first three complaints were timely included in the Order of Business within the constitutionally prescribed ten-session-day period.
Abante clarified that the fourth complaint, which was signed and verified by more than one-third of House Members, constituted the formal Articles of Impeachment and was transmitted directly to the Senate—effectively rendering the earlier complaints moot and archived.
The Articles of Impeachment, endorsed by 215 members and approved by the plenary in February, charged Vice President Duterte with graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes. Among the allegations are the misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds during her concurrent tenure as Education Secretary, defiance of congressional oversight, and failure to uphold civilian supremacy over the military and police.
“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 added.
The House also emphasized in its filing that it retains exclusive authority over internal deliberative matters, as part of its status as a co-equal branch of government under the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
“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,” Abante stressed.
“The House remains committed to transparency, constitutional fidelity, and upholding the rule of law. 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.”
The Supreme Court had earlier instructed both the House and the Senate to submit sworn information on the impeachment process, including timelines, procedures, and the participation of members. The Senate impeachment trial has not yet commenced. (ZIA LUNA)
