Law Expert Speaks on VP Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Following SC Decision
SARA DUTERTE IMPEACHMENT – A Constitutional Law expert claimed the Senate may disregard the Supreme Court ruling and proceed with the trial.
The Supreme Court declaring the Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Duterte as “unconstitutional” elicited mixed reactions from the people. Some senators claimed that the impeachment trial should push through despite the ruling of the high court.
The Supreme Court declared the impeachment articles as “unconstitutional” citing the one year ban rule. The camp of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court saying it “upheld the law”.
Duterte’s camp also claimed that it remains prepared to answer to the allegations in the proper time and forum. However, following the decision of the Supreme Court, there are questions on whether or not the impeachment trial of the Vice President may push through.
Recently, a Constitutional Law expert and a former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Atty. Domingo “Egon” Cayosa, spoke on the possibility of the Senate pushing through with the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Based on a report on GMA News, the law expert claimed that the Senate may disregard the ruling of the Supreme Court.
Atty. Egon Cayosa stressed that the decision on whether to defer to the ruling of the Supreme Court or push through with the impeachment trial depends on the legislative branch. According to him, it is clearly stated in the Constitution that the legislative branch has the sole power when it comes to the impeachment of an elected official.
“It is now for the legislative branch of government to defer to that ruling, o kaya if they have political will and numbers, maaari nilang ituloy. Sapagkat malinaw naman sa Konstitusyon, pagdating sa impeachment, that is the sole power of the legislative branch,” the law expert said.
Based on the report, the decision of the high court is immediately executory but the respondent may file a motion for reconsideration. Atty. Cayosa also made his stand on the speculations about “judicial overreach”.
“Insofar as some people think there is judicial overreach, eh maaari naman yang i-disregard ng Senado at ituloy,” the lawyer said.
Both Malacañang and the House of Representatives expressed respect to the decision of the ruling of the Supreme Court. On the part of the House of Representatives, despite the SC ruling on the impeachment articles against Vice Pres. Duterte, the chamber claimed that its “constitutional duty to uphold truth and accountability does not end here”.