The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday announced its decision denying the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives, declaring the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional even as militant groups readied plans to file a fresh impeachment complaint against the Vice President once the one-year ban expires on February 6.
“Next week magfa-file kami, o magre-refile ng impeachment complaint laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte,” former Bayan Muna representative Liza Maza said. Duterte has described the move a “fundraising” effort of House lawmakers.
In a press briefing, SC spokesperson lawyer Camille Ting said the decision was unanimous, noting that the denial of the July 2025 decision is with finality.
“By a unanimous vote of all those participating, the Supreme Court en banc denied with finality the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives, which sought to reverse the Court’s July 25, 2025 decision that declared the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte unconstitutional,” Ting said.
The decision affirmed that the fourth impeachment complaint transmitted to the Senate was already barred by the one-year bar rule.
Ting explained that the first three impeachment complaints filed were not placed in the Order of Business within the required 10 session days.
While the SC affirmed the power of the House of Representatives to promulgate its own Rules on Impeachment, it clarified that the House Rules require the referral to the Committee on Justice even when filed through the second mode.
Ting said that the resolution is immediately executory upon digital service on all parties, adding that no further pleadings are allowed.
For its part, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) acknowledged the resolution of the SC in denying the motion for reconsideration.
“We thank the Honorable Court for a ruling that now definitively lays down clear and authoritative guidance on the constitutional limits and proper treatment of impeachment proceedings,” the OVP said in a statement.
“With these issues settled by the Court, the matter is now closed. We should then move on to address the nation’s other pressing concerns,” it added.
In July 2025, the SC declared unconstitutional the articles of impeachment of Duterte in violation of the one-year ban rule. Consequently, any subsequent complaints may only be filed starting February 6.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “SC affirms VP Sara impeachment unconstitutional”
