Citing a rule that bars impeachment complaints to be filed more than once a year.
On Friday, July 25, the Supreme Court En Banc unanimously voted, 13-0-2, and declared that the Articles of Impeachment filed against Vice President Sara Duterte as “unconstitutional.”
As per the SC, the legislative branch is barred by the one-year rule under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the 1987 Constitution, noting the three prior complaints filed against Duterte before the House of Representatives (HOR) by multiple personalities in December 2024.
However, these were not brought to the plenary, and instead, a fourth complaint on February 5, 2025 was what the Lower House transmitted to the Senate on the same day.
The SC added that that the action violates the right to due process enshrined in the Bill of Rights, adding that the Senate could not acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings.
But, it explicitly stated that with this decision, it is “not absolving Vice President Duterte from any of the charges against her.”
Furthermore, any subsequent impeachment complaint may only be filed starting February 6, 2026.
However, the House may still challenge the ruling by filing a motion for reconsideration.