TWO lawmakers on Monday urged the Supreme Court (SC) to dismiss the petitions questioning the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, emphasizing that the House of Representatives acted within the bounds of the Constitution and established jurisprudence.
“Dapat mabasura ultimately itong kaso na ito,” Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said, referring to the petition questioning the House’s transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.
“Ang talagang magkakaroon lang ng one-year ban rule ay itong tumuloy na impeachment complaint kung saan nagkaroon ng direct na plenary action. 215 Congressmen approved the Articles of Impeachment and transmitted it to the Senate on the same day,” Ridon added.
Ridon made the statement days after the Supreme Court (SC) directed Congress to submit specific details related to the first three impeachment complaints filed against VP Duterte.
These complaints were not referred to the House Committee on Justice but were instead consolidated in a fourth complaint adopted by more than one-third of House members.
“Well, tingin natin ang magiging tanong ng SC ay particularly dun sa first three complaints. Ang susunod which is the requirement under Gutierrez and under Francisco, nagkaroon ba ng referral to the House Committee on Justice? I think the facts are clear, there was never a referral to the House Committee on Justice,” he said.
Manila Rep. Joel Chua, a member of the House prosecution panel, echoed Ridon’s view, emphasizing that the process followed by the 19th Congress was both regular and lawful.
“Definitely, dahil sa aking paniniwala, lahat naman ng sangkap, lahat naman ng proseso ay dinaanan naman sa House,” Chua said.
Chua cited jurisprudence allowing the consolidation of complaints before referral to the committee level.
“Dito pinapayagan na i-collate muna lahat ng impeachment complaint bago i-refer ito,” he said.
“Dahil unang-una kung ganun magiging batayan natin kung sinong unang magsa-submit, ang mangyayari nun parang magiging paunahan na lang,” he further noted.
Ridon pointed out that only the fourth complaint satisfied the constitutional threshold.
“Ito po yung pagkakaroon ng one-third filing ng House members to the House Secretary General, ito po yung nangyari sa fourth impeachment complaint,” he said.
“So basically, yung rekisito in jurisprudence and in the Constitution ay buong-buo at tama na-comply ng 19th Congress,” he added.
Chua noted that the House’s chosen path mirrored previous impeachments.
“Ito ay hindi lamang first time na nangyari. Ito’y nangyari na rin dun sa impeachment ng dating Pangulong Joseph Erap Estrada. Meron tayong tinatawag na presumption of regularity o legality,” he explained.
He also warned against using the referral rule as a weapon to block valid impeachment efforts.
“Halimbawa ako, kakampi ako ng presidente, every year na lang magpa-file ako kahit na walang kakwenta-kwentang impeachment. Para at least ma-meet ko yung one-year ban,” Chua said.
Ridon meanwhile stressed the importance of the proceedings given the gravity of the allegations.
“Ang pinag-uusapan natin dito accountability sa usapin ng paggamit ng confidential funds. Pinag-uusapan natin dito accountability sa threats laban sa Pangulo, laban sa First Lady, laban sa House Speaker ng ating bansa,” he said.
He reiterated the strong mandate behind the House action.
“Malinaw po ang paninindigan ng 215 representatives ng 19th Congress,” Ridon said.
“Ang bilang po nito ay almost 70% ng kabuuan po ng mga kinatawan ng Kongreso na naninindigan na kailangan pong i-impeach ang ating VP,” he added.
Both lawmakers said they are confident the Supreme Court would eventually uphold the House’s actions
