A GROUP of lawyers officially petitioned the Supreme Court on Friday to strike down what they described as “procedurally defective” impeachment proceedings by the House committee on justice.
The 186-page Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition, led by Atty. Israelito P. Torreon and a coalition of prominent legal figures urged the High Tribunal to issue an immediate temporary restraining order (TRO) on the proceedings.
The petition (GR No. 275596) argued that the House of Representatives is exercising “grave abuse of discretion” by allowing the third and fourth impeachment complaints against Duterte to proceed.
The lawyers specifically assail the Committee for what they call a glaring double standard.
The petition notes that while the House dismissed similar complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for “failure to state ultimate facts,” it has allegedly relaxed those same standards to allow a “roving inquiry” into the Vice President.
“A complaint insufficient at threshold must be dismissed… it cannot be revived by subpoena, salvaged by hearing, or completed by compelled proof,” the petition states, arguing that the House is illegally using its coercive machinery to “build, rather than merely evaluate, a case.”
VP: ‘Grateful but uninvolved’
Speaking from Davao City, Vice President Duterte clarified that while she is grateful for the legal “shield” provided by these independent lawyers, the petition was not a coordinated move by her office.
“They didn’t consult with me,” Duterte said in an interview with Davao media on Saturday. “I’m not thinking about impeachment at this time. I’ve left all of that to the lawyers.”
Despite her hands-off claim, her rhetoric against her detractors in Congress has hardened.
She characterized the House proceedings as an “abuse of the impeachment process” and expressed gratitude to the lawyers for “fighting for our Constitution.”
This marks the second time the Vice President’s allies have sought Supreme Court intervention to halt impeachment efforts. The petitioners, which include Atty. Richard T. Mata and Atty. Raul Lambino argued that if the Court does not step in, the “integrity of impeachment” will be permanently compromised.
Amid the flurry of subpoenas and court filings, the Vice President officially confirmed her intention to seek the nation’s highest office.
“I have already declared my candidacy. I am a presumptive candidate for the 2028 presidential elections,” Duterte stated, although she noted that detailed planning for a Senate slate remains in the early stages.
