House to uphold impeachment mandate despite SC ruling

The House of Representatives will uphold its exclusive mandate to initiate impeachment cases after the Supreme Court declared with finality that the impeachment complaint transmitted by congressmen to the Senate last year against Vice President Sara Duterte was unconstitutional.

“Despite the [decision on the] motion for reconsideration, we will insist on it. We will implement the exclusive power of the House, irrespective of whoever it is, whether it is the President or Vice President or [any] impeachable officer,” Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon, chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, said at a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday.

The party-list lawmaker said that the House “will proceed with our mandate.”

Earlier this week, the SC dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by the House in connection with the Court's July 2025 ruling that found the impeachment complaint unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar rule and Duterte's right to due process. 

In a resolution, the SC affirmed that the House has the sole prerogative to initiate impeachment complaints and promulgate its rules.

"However, the rules must be consistent with the provisions of our Constitution," the SC said.  

In December 2024, the House received three impeachment complaints against Duterte, all related to the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

In February 2025, over one-third of House members endorsed a separate complaint, which was later transmitted to the Senate as the Articles of Impeachment.

The House had argued that the archiving of the first three complaints was done after the transmittal of the fourth complaint, thus not initiating the one-year ban.

In its ruling, the SC clarified that the first three impeachment complaints filed in accordance with the first mode were not placed in the Order of Business within the required 10 session days.

It said that session days for the purpose of an impeachment complaint do not mean legislative session days.

According to the SC, a session day is interpreted to mean a calendar day in which the House holds a session.

Ridon said that since the SC is strict about timelines, “they should look at themselves as well on whether or not they are able to comply with this particular 24-month period to resolve cases.”

“Isa doon sa very clear self-executing provisions ng 1987 Constitution ay dapat ang mga kaso ng Korte Suprema ay nare-resolve within 24 months,” Ridon said.

(One of the very clear self-executing provisions of the 1987 Constitution is that Supreme Court cases must be resolved within 24 months.)

Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua, chairman of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, said on Thursday that the House will revise the Rules of Impeachment to comply with the SC decision. — VBL, GMA Integrated News