Senators Erwin Tulfo and Raffy Tulfo react to the ruling regarding the impeachment of VP Sara Duterte. Here’s what they have to say.
VP SARA DUTERTE IMPEACHMENT – The Tulfo brothers said they respect the decision regarding Duterte’s impeachment trial, but stressed this factor.
Previously, the Supreme Court declared the articles vs. VP Sara unconstitutional. This meant the trial was barred by the High Court due to the one-year rule. The one-year bar rule in the 1987 Constitution states that “impeachment proceedings [cannot] be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year.”
The decision did not mean she was absolved from any of the charges against her, and that “any subsequent impeachment complaint may only be filed starting February 6, 2026.”
To recall, there were four complaints against Duterte at the House of Representatives. The first three did not materialize, and she was impeached on the fourth complaint, which was signed by the majority of the House members.
While Senator Risa Hontiveros was disappointed over the SC ruling, the Tulfo brothers respected the decision. Senator Erwin Tulfo acknowledged the unanimous decision, and in a separate statement, Senator Raffy Tulfo also echoed the same sentiment.
Senator Erwin, however, emphasized that the Senate has the sole constitutional authority to try and decide all cases of impeachment. He is certain that this will be discussed in the Senate, whether to heed the decision or challenge it.
He noted what the Constitution has clearly stated about the power of the Senate in terms of decision-making in impeachment cases. He reaffirmed his commitment to work with integrity and fairness in fulfilling his constitutional mandate, along with his fellow senators.
“While I have been ready to perform my Constitutional mandate as a judge in the impeachment court, I likewise respect the mandate of the Supreme Court to determine if certain actions or processes of the other branches of government went beyond or against the provisions of our Constitution,” Senator Raffy said in a separate statement.
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