VP Sara asks Supreme Court to stop impeachment hearings, cites abuse

By Erika Mae P. Sinaking and Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporters

VICE-PRESIDENT (VP) Sara Duterte‑Carpio has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop impeachment proceedings against her, escalating a showdown with the House of Representatives as lawmakers move to examine complaints that could remove her from office.

“The initiation process conducted by respondents House of Representatives and the Committee on Justice is marred by grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction and in contravention of the Constitution,” she said in a 58‑page petition.

Ms. Duterte said the committee exceeded its authority by conducting proceedings its chairperson, Batangas Rep. Gerville R. Luistro, described as a “mini‑trial,” arguing that the Constitution grants the Senate the sole power to try and decide impeachment cases.

Ms. Luistro did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

Named respondents aside from Ms. Luistro were Speaker Faustino G. Dy III and the Senate, represented by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, among others.

The high court has consolidated challenges to the proceedings against the Vice-President and gave lawmakers a firm deadline to respond.

“The SC consolidated these cases and, without necessarily giving due course to the petitions, directed respondents to comment within a nonextendible period of 10 days from receipt of notice,” it said in a statement.

Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Sue Mae L. Ting said the order did not address the temporary restraining order sought by the petitioners.

The tribunal consolidated Ms. Duterte’s petition with an earlier filing lodged by lawyers allied with her, both questioning the impeachment proceedings initiated in the House of Representatives.

In her pleading, the Vice-President invoked the Constitution’s one‑year bar, which prohibits initiating more than one impeachment proceeding against the same official within a one‑year period.

She said earlier impeachment complaints were set aside or withdrawn in March, making the remaining complaints an impermissible subsequent attempt to remove her from office.

House Justice Committee member Party-list Rep. Terry L. Ridon dismissed the petition as “a distorted interpretation of the Constitution.”

In a statement, the congressman said the House followed constitutional procedure, citing an official video showing the impeachment complaints were referred to the committee during a plenary session.

He said the referral reflected collective action by House members rather than a unilateral decision by the Speaker or the Committee on Rules.

Mr. Ridon said the Justice committee intends to proceed with its inquiry into allegations involving confidential funds and claims of unexplained wealth raised in the complaints.

‘NOT WITHOUT LIMITS’
In a separate statement, her legal team said the lawsuit is an attempt to clarify constitutional limits, not to avoid accountability.

“This is about ensuring that the process itself complies with the Constitution,” her lawyers said. “The House has the power to initiate impeachment, but that power is not without limits.”

Her lawyers said the lawsuit against House leaders seeks guidance on whether lawmakers complied with constitutional and procedural requirements when they initiated the impeachment process.

Ms. Duterte is facing impeachment proceedings in the House over allegations that include misuse of public funds, betrayal of public trust and threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

Her legal team declined to discuss the merits of the case in deference to the Supreme Court.

The Justice committee has scheduled hearings on the impeachment complaints on April 14, 22 and 29.

The committee has issued separate subpoenas to the Commission on Audit, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Ombudsman, ordering senior officials from the agencies to testify and submit government records tied to the impeachment proceedings against Ms. Duterte.

In orders dated March 31, the body directed the agencies to produce documents and appear before lawmakers, signaling a deeper evidentiary phase in the impeachment inquiry as the committee evaluates whether grounds exist to advance the case.

The subpoena to the audit body was directed at State Auditor V Gloria A. Camora of the Commission on Audit-Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office, the specialized unit that has custody of records covering the use of confidential and intelligence funds by the Office of the Vice-President and the Department of Education for 2022 and 2023.

Lawmakers ordered the audit body to submit original copies of all liquidation documents filed by the Office of the Vice-President for confidential funds covering the fourth quarter of 2022 and the first three quarters of 2023.

The committee also sought related bank records, internal audit reports, communications involving education officials and any final findings issued by the audit body.

Separately, the panel summoned Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza, seeking almost two decades of tax records linked to Ms. Duterte and her husband, Manases R. Carpio.

The committee is demanding certified copies of the couple’s annual income tax returns from 2007 to 2025, as well as tax compliance and income records tied to business entities in which they are alleged to hold interests.

The House body has also summoned Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla to testify and turn over the Vice-President’s wealth declarations.

Mr. Remulla on Monday said he would comply with the order and appear at an April 14 hearing. He has been ordered to submit certified copies of Ms. Duterte’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth covering 2022 to 2025, as well as earlier periods from 2007 to 2013 and 2016 to 2022.