Home of Representatives emblem and plenary. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The Home of Representatives has maintained that the primary three impeachment complaints in opposition to Vice President Sara Duterte had been referred to the plenary, or included within the order of enterprise, throughout the constitutional requirement of 10 session days.
Lawyer and Home spokesperson Princess Abante stated on Monday that this was a part of the Home’s reply to the Supreme Courtroom (SC), relating to petitions searching for to dismiss the impeachment for alleged constitutional violations — just like the non-referral of the complaints inside 10 session days.
“The Home of Representatives has clarified with the Supreme Courtroom that all the actions it has taken are in accordance with its inner guidelines and laws and with the Structure,” Abante stated in a press briefing.
“The three impeachment complaints acquired in December had been acted upon throughout the 10 session day requirement of the Structure, and the fourth impeachment criticism was acted upon additionally throughout the bounds of the Structure as effectively,” she added.
Three impeachment complaints had been filed in opposition to Duterte in December 2024:
– December 2, filed by civil society teams and endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña – December 4, filed by progressive teams and endorsed by the Makabayan bloc – December 19, filed by spiritual teams and attorneys and endorsed by Naga Metropolis Rep. Gabriel Bordado and AAMBIS-OWA party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Colada
Beneath Article XI, Part 3(2) of the 1987 Structure, a verified criticism shall be “included within the Order of Enterprise inside ten session days, and referred to the right Committee inside three session days thereafter.”
Home guidelines in the meantime state that the Secretary Normal should instantly refer a verified criticism to the Workplace of the Speaker.
The Speaker then ought to have the criticism included within the Order of Enterprise inside 10 session days.
All three impeachment complaints, nonetheless, had been archived as a fourth impeachment criticism was filed and signed by 215 lawmakers final February 5, successfully sending the articles to the Senate for a right away trial, in accordance with the Structure.
However after Duterte was impeached by the Home, Mindanao-based attorneys filed a petition searching for to cease the impeachment proceedings as a result of the Home supposedly didn’t observe the Structure’s guidelines, which requires it to behave on impeachment complaints inside 10 session days.
When requested the way it was doable that the complaints have been calendared by nineteenth Congress Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez when Home Secretary Normal Reginald Velasco stated on February 3 that the complaints had been nonetheless with him, Abante stated that she doesn’t know ghe specifics.
READ: VP Sara Duterte impeachment raps set to achieve Speaker this week – Home
Nevertheless, Abante assured the general public that the complaints had been actually calendared inside 10 session days.
“Ang naalala ko, na they had been acted upon throughout the 10 session day requirement by the Structure which all had been on February 5,” Abante stated.
“What I keep in mind is that they had been acted upon throughout the 10 session day requirement by the Structure which all had been on February 5. I can solely communicate based mostly on data, that’s what I can focus on. Technically the statements of the Secretary Normal, I perceive that there have been earlier interviews, however I can solely communicate based mostly on data.”
“[And the records show] that each one impeachment complaints had been compliant with the Structure within the inner guidelines and regulation,” she added.
The Home’s session throughout the nineteenth Congress adjourned final December 18 for the Christmas break, and resumed by January 13, 2025, earlier than adjourning on February 5 for the election season break.
This implies that there have been at the very least 20 session days between December 2 to February 5.
Nevertheless, Abante clarified that calendar days are totally different from session days. Additionally, there have been situations that session was not adjourned — which implies that session simply continued as much as the subsequent day, however was counted as only one session day.
“Sure, calendar days are totally different from session days. When session is suspended, it’s not included as a session day.”
“However positively I believe the primary criticism was inside 9 session days siya nung naipasok sa (when it was included within the) order of enterprise,” she added.
It was Abante who additionally relayed final July 11 that the Home has acquired a replica of the SC decision which consolidates the petitions filed by Duterte and different attorneys supporting her.
A part of the decision requires Velasco to submit sure paperwork just like the standing of the primary three complaints.
READ: Home vows to submit extra impeachment particulars to SC
Duterte was impeached after 215 lawmakers filed and signed a fourth criticism, which was hinged on allegations of confidential fund misuse inside her workplaces, threats to rating officers, and different doable violations of the Structure.
The articles of impeachment had been instantly forwarded to the Senate because the 1987 Structure requires a trial to start out forthwith if at the very least one-third of all Home members — or simply 102 out of 306 — have signed and endorsed the petition.
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