MANILA, Philippines — The defense team of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte has welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the fourth impeachment complaint filed against her as unconstitutional.
In an official statement released Thursday, Duterte’s legal counsel hailed the High Court’s unanimous decision, saying it reinforced the constitutional limitations of the impeachment process.
“We welcome the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the 1987 Constitution,” the statement read.
The decision affirmed the defense’s long-standing position that the fourth complaint was “constitutionally infirm.” According to Duterte’s legal team, the ruling upholds the rule of law and serves as a safeguard against what they described as an abuse of the impeachment process.
“This unanimous decision has once again upheld the rule of law and reinforced the constitutional limits against abuse of the impeachment process,” the statement added.
The team emphasized their readiness to face any legitimate issues in the proper forum, stating: “We remain prepared to address the allegations at the proper time and before the appropriate forum.”
Vice President Duterte has faced several impeachment attempts in recent months, though this fourth complaint has now been declared void due to the constitutional prohibition against filing more than one impeachment complaint against the same official within a one-year period.
