Despite expressing respect for the Supreme Court’s decision, the House of Representatives raised concerns on Thursday about potential issues on the system of checks and balances in government following the high tribunal’s ruling declaring the impeachment articles against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional.
In a press briefing, House spokesperson Princess Abante said the chamber has yet to receive an official copy of the decision but underscored the House’s constitutional role in initiating impeachment processes.
“We respect the Supreme Court. But our constitutional duty to uphold truth and accountability does not end here […] The impeachment process is not just a legal mechanism — it is a vital democratic safeguard. Under Article XI, Section 3 of the Constitution, the exclusive power to initiate impeachment rests solely with the House of Representatives. This was firmly established in Francisco v. House of Representatives (2003) and has long stood as settled doctrine,” Abante said.
She further warned that judicial interference in impeachment processes may compromise democratic safeguards and institutional independence.
“To allow judicial interference in the initiation of this process risks undermining the very principle of checks and balances. Impeachment is a political act rooted in the people’s will — no legal technicality should silence it,” she added.
Abante also said that the chamber is prepared to exhaust all legal remedies to preserve its institutional independence and to uphold the sanctity of the Constitution.
“This is not defiance. This is constitutional fidelity. We owe it to the people to be relentless in our duty — because accountability should never be optional, no matter how high the office,” she asserted.
The impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte was adopted by the House on February 5, 2025, just days before the 19th Congress adjourned.
The move came after the complaint gained 215 signatures from House members, primarily citing allegations of betrayal of public trust involving unexplained expenditures of confidential funds.