VP Sara 'ready' if another impeachment complaint will be filed in 2026 —spox
'Tignan natin ang mga developments, at kung dumating man ang pagkakataon na there will be another impeachment, sabi nga nila, subject to the one-year bar, we will be ready to face those allegations,' said Atty. Michael Poa in an Unang Balita interview on Tuesday.
(Let's look at the developments, and if there will be another impeachment, as they say, subject to the one-year bar, we will be ready to face those allegations.)
Voting 13-0, the Supreme Court (SC) earlier declared the articles of impeachment against Duterte as unconstitutional, saying that it was barred by the one-year rule under Article XI Section 3 paragraph 5 of the Constitution.
The high court also found that the articles violated Duterte's right to due process.
The SC decision is immediately executory but a motion for reconsideration may be filed.
The high court, meanwhile, emphasized that it is not absolving Duterte from any of the charges against her, but any subsequent impeachment complaint may only be filed starting February 6, 2026.
To recall, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
Duterte, in return, had entered a 'not guilty' plea in the verified impeachment complaint filed against her, which she called merely a 'scrap of paper.'
Political pressure?
Poa also answered allegations that the SC justices voted in favor of the Vice President as most of them were appointed by Sara's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.
'Sana po ay respetuhin natin at igalang natin ang desisyon dahil medyo insulto naman siguro sa ating mga justices kung sabihin natin na nag-decide sila, one way or the other, for some political pressure,' he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
(I hope we respect their decision because it might be a bit insulting to our justices if we say that they decided, one way or the other, because of some political pressure.)
The House of Representatives has said it is preparing to file a motion for reconsideration of the Supreme Court's decision to void the impeachment of Duterte, arguing that the ruling was based on what it described as incorrect findings that contradict official records.
At the Senate, impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol said it is set to vote whether to proceed with the deliberations after receiving the high court's ruling on the articles of impeachment filed against Duterte. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
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