Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon raised serious concerns on Thursday over the Supreme Court’s (SC) ruling on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment, warning that the decision may have far-reaching consequences for accountability in the highest levels of government.
In an Inquirer.net report, Ridon, a lawyer by profession, warned that if the SC’s decision is left unchanged, it could essentially shield any impeachable official from being removed from office.
“If the Supreme Court stands on this decision and it does not reconsider the ruling, nobody in the Philippines would be impeached,” he said, citing mounting concerns among lawyers, civil society groups, and legal experts.
Ridon explained that under the current ruling, any high-ranking official could potentially sidestep accountability by asking an ally in the House of Representatives to file a deliberately weak impeachment complaint. That move alone, he said, would activate the Constitution’s one-year ban on filing another impeachment case — effectively blocking legitimate efforts.
“This is an unfortunate situation which we hope the Supreme Court will reconsider,” he added.
The controversy stems from the SC’s declaration that the impeachment proceedings against Duterte violated the constitutional provision barring multiple impeachment attempts within a one-year period. On July 25, SC spokesperson Camille Ting confirmed that the Articles of Impeachment sent to the Senate were deemed unconstitutional for breaching this rule.
Duterte faced her fourth impeachment complaint on February 5, 2025, backed by 215 lawmakers. The complaint included allegations of fund misuse, threats to officials, and other possible constitutional violations. Since more than one-third of the House supported the filing, the case was immediately sent to the Senate, in line with the 1987 Constitution.
However, two petitions filed earlier this year challenged the House’s adherence to the Constitution’s timeline for addressing impeachment complaints. Petitioners argued that the first complaint, lodged in December 2024, was acted upon too late. The House countered this by presenting a session day timeline, asserting that the referral occurred precisely on the 10th session day, as required.
Despite the SC’s nullification of the Articles of Impeachment, it clarified that this does not clear Duterte of the accusations. A new impeachment case may still be filed by February 6, 2026.
Meanwhile, the House is preparing to file a motion for reconsideration, while the Senate is set to deliberate on the issue on August 6.
