The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Friday evening issued an official statement on the Supreme Court (SC) ruling that declared the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional.
In its statement, the IBP said the ruling is “not merely about judicial review or impeachment” but also “about the enduring architecture of a constitutional order where power is limited, roles are defined, and accountability flows through process.”
It reaffirmed its commitment to that order in defense of the legal framework that holds them all to account.
“As the final arbiter of constitutional questions, the Supreme Court bears the solemn duty to interpret the law, determine its bounds, and clarify its implications even when it revisits past doctrines or addresses new contexts. This authority is rooted in checks and balances: the very design that guards against the excesses of any branch,” the statement read.
The official organization of all Philippine lawyers noted that the recognition of SC’s authority to interpret constitutional limitations involving political matters is not intended to diminish the exclusive role of the House of Representatives but to dignify it.
“We therefore recognize and respect the exclusive power of the House of Representatives to initiate impeachment, just as we acknowledge the Supreme Court’s solemn duty to interpret the Constitution and resolve legal uncertainties in faithful service to the Republic,” the IBP said.
Meanwhile, it explained that “disagreement with the Court’s reasoning is neither unwelcome nor unexpected” as dissent is essential in a democracy. However, it stressed that “to incite public repudiation of its authority, or even just to call for its outright defiance, erodes the very foundations of the legal order.”
