The House of Representatives will file a motion for reconsideration on the recent Supreme Court (SC) ruling, which nullified its impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, according to House spokesperson Princess Abante.
In a statement on Sunday, Abante said that while the lower chamber respects the decision of the SC, it is “deeply concerned” with the development, echoing the position of other lawmakers and legal experts.
“The House, after careful study, will file a motion for reconsideration because the decision—which declares the Articles of Impeachment sent to the Senate to be barred or unconstitutional—is anchored on factual premises or findings that are erroneous and contrary to the official record of the House,” Abante said.
Earlier, retired SC Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said the House of Representatives should file a motion for reconsideration before the SC.
He made this remark in an exclusive interview with Manila Standard on Sunday when asked what the proper remedy would be after the High Tribunal declared the articles of impeachment against Vice President Duterte unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, Carpio explained that he could not speculate on what would happen if the Senate decides to vote on a motion to dismiss or proceed with the trial.
“I have to wait for the SC to decide on the MR of the House,” he said.
Earlier today, 1SAMBAYAN called for a re-examination of the SC’s decision, urging a correction based on the verifiable records of the House proceedings.
“1SAMBAYAN most respectfully disagrees with the Supreme Court’s decision dismissing the fourth impeachment complaint, citing factual inaccuracies… The misinterpretation of facts undermines the principles of due process and fair judgment,” the group said in its statement.
It can be recalled that Carpio, lead convenor of 1SAMBAYAN, claimed that the Constitution was strictly followed in Duterte’s impeachment.
“The Constitution was followed. The threshold was met. The process was legal and complete. That should be the end of it,” the former justice said.
Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Sunday that evidence related to the impeachment case against Vice President Duterte could still be examined in other forums if the Supreme Court’s ruling prevents the trial from moving forward.
“There are many other fora where, if the public wants to know what happened with the use of the CIF, even during the budget deliberation, I myself will ask,” he said.
“When the budget of DepEd or OVP is tackled, that can be asked. The budget deliberation can be used to clarify,” Lacson explained.
The senator said he intends to actively question fund allocations during these hearings to shed light on how the money was spent, adding that the public has the right to know where confidential funds go. He also said reviewing the budgets of past years alongside upcoming appropriations is necessary to ensure accountability.
Aside from budget hearings, Lacson said another alternative is for either the Senate or the House to file a resolution for an inquiry in aid of legislation.
Such an inquiry, he added, would examine how confidential and intelligence funds are used by agencies that do not perform law enforcement or intelligence work.
“If we still proceed, the casualty here will be the rule of law. Because if we defy the Supreme Court, which has the authority under the existing Constitution, they are the final arbiter and interpreter of our Constitution and legal issues,” he said, cautioning the Senate against defying the Court’s decision.
“If we still push through, we might face problems, and the loser here will be the rule of law,” Lacson said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “House to seek SC review of decision on VP Duterte impeachment”
