Senate to SC: No allegation, no comment on Duterte impeachment petition

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Senate leadership has informed the Supreme Court that it should not be required to comment on the petition filed by Vice President Sara Duterte to nullify the impeachment complaint against her and stop her trial, as it contains no allegations against the chamber.

“A reading of the body of the above-captioned petition reveals that it has actually no allegations against respondent Senate,” the chamber said in a three-page manifestation filed on Thursday, March 6.

“Respondent Senate, which has the sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment under the Constitution, cannot therefore possibly make a comment on the petition, and thus, asks the Honorable Court that it be excused from submitting the comment required under the above said resolution,” the document read.

The manifestation was signed by Senate legal counsel Maria Valentina Santana-Cruz, who also requested that the Supreme Court accept it in lieu of the required comment.

On Feb. 25, the Supreme Court gave the House of Representatives, its secretary general, and the Senate 10 days to submit their respective comments on Duterte’s petition.

The petition for certiorari and prohibition included an urgent request for a temporary restraining order against the impeachment proceedings in the Senate.

Duterte argued that the fourth impeachment complaint approved by the House, which initiated the Senate proceedings, violated the constitutional one-year ban on filing new impeachment cases. She seeks to have the complaint nullified, thereby halting the impeachment process.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero earlier pointed out that Duterte had no allegations against the Senate.

He had proposed the convening of the impeachment court for June 3, a day after the resumption of session, where the rules could be approved, with the trial set to begin on July 30.

A separate Supreme Court petition seeks to compel the Senate to immediately begin the trial, in accordance with the constitutional provision that mandates the chamber to “forthwith” proceed with the impeachment trial.