SC MAY TACKLE VP DUTERTE PETITION VS IMPEACHMENT

The Supreme Court may discuss Vice President Sara Duterte’s petition to halt her impeachment trial during its en banc session on February 25. Duterte argues that the House of Representatives committed grave abuse of discretion by allegedly withholding three previous complaints to bypass the one-year prohibition on filing similar cases. A separate petition from Mindanao-based lawyers and Davao City officials also seeks to stop the Senate from proceeding with the trial. The House impeached Duterte on February 5 after 215 lawmakers endorsed a fourth complaint, accusing her of constitutional violations, bribery, graft, and issuing death threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez. The Senate has 10 days to respond to a prior Supreme Court petition requesting the immediate formation of an impeachment court, while Senator Aquilino Pimentel III is pushing to start the trial in March.