MANILA, Philippines — July 26, 2025 — House Speaker Martin Romualdez said the House of Representatives respects the Supreme Court’s ruling dismissing the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte but revealed that lawmakers are preparing to challenge the decision through a motion for reconsideration.
“We are in the process of reading the decision of the Supreme Court, but, of course, we shall respect the decision,” Romualdez said on Saturday. “We shall also exhaust our remedies. We’ll also be preparing a motion for reconsideration (MR) within 15 days of our official receipt.”
On Friday, July 25, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the impeachment complaints violated the “one-year bar rule,” which prohibits more than one impeachment case against the same official within a 12-month period.
Still, Romualdez hinted at the possibility of changes to the decision. “We hope that there could be probably some refinements on the decision,” he said.
The Speaker also suggested that the Court may have adjusted its interpretation of earlier rulings, which the House had relied upon. “I think they’re modifying the Gutierrez and the Francisco rulings, which actually we’re adhering to in the process. But nonetheless, we reserve that for the MR,” Romualdez noted.
With the House legal team now preparing its next steps, Romualdez assured the public that the legislative body remains committed to upholding due process and its constitutional responsibilities.
