THE House prosecution team, in an online press conference on Tuesday, urged the Office of the
Ombudsman to defer any action related to the case of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the Senate impeachment court has already acquired jurisdiction over the matter.
House prosecution spokesperson Atty. Antonio Audie Bucoy, said it would be premature for the Ombudsman to act while impeachment proceedings are underway.
“Ang impeachment proceedings po is of primordial consideration. Yan ho ang pinakamataas na antas tungo sa panagutin ang impeachable official,” Bucoy told reporters.
He cited Republic Act 6770, or the Ombudsman Act of 1989, which sets limitations on the anti-graft body’s jurisdiction over impeachable officials.
Bucoy emphasized that the Constitution mandates impeachment as the primary mode of holding high-ranking officials accountable.
“Meron hong dalawang provisions doon na sinasabi na ang Ombudsman ay hindi pwedeng imbestigahan ang impeachable official because ang mekanismo ay nakasaad sa Saligang Batas. Impeachment — na ang may jurisdiction ay ang Senado, sitting as an impeachment court,” he said.
Bucoy said the Ombudsman may only conduct an investigation if the intent is to file a verified impeachment complaint, which does not apply in VP Duterte’s case.
“Meron din diyang provision na nagsasabi kung iimbestigahan, maaaring imbestigahan ng Ombudsman ang impeachable official kapag ang layunin nito ay mag-file ng verified impeachment complaint. Yun lang ho,” he said.
Since the Senate has formally convened as an impeachment court, Bucoy said it is now the sole body authorized to hear the case.
“The Ombudsman should take a back seat and tignan niya yung ano yung ebidensyang ilalahad during the trial,” Bucoy added.
He stressed that this is necessary not just to respect institutional processes, but also to ensure accountability is achieved through the mechanism outlined by the Constitution.
“Dapat po, bigyan ng pagkakataon ang impeachment court na nag-acquire na ng jurisdiction na isulong yung paglilitis hanggang ito ay matapos,” he said.
The House prosecution panel is moving ahead with preparations for pre-trial and trial proceedings in the impeachment case against VP Duterte, following her submission of an ‘answer ad cautelam’ before the Senate impeachment court.
While Duterte’s response did not address the substance of the allegations, the prosecution considers it sufficient to trigger the next stage of the process.
Prosecutors also downplayed procedural objections raised by VP Duterte’s camp, maintaining that the Articles of Impeachment remain valid and that the case was properly initiated in accordance with constitutional requirements.
