House: Duterte impeachment raps addressed within 10 session days

House of Representatives logo and plenary. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has maintained that the first three impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte were referred to the plenary, or included in the order of business, within the constitutional requirement of 10 session days.

Lawyer and House spokesperson Princess Abante said on Monday that this was part of the House’s reply to the Supreme Court (SC), regarding petitions seeking to dismiss the impeachment for alleged constitutional violations — like the non-referral of the complaints within 10 session days.

“The House of Representatives has clarified with the Supreme Court that all of the actions it has taken are in accordance with its internal rules and regulations and with the Constitution,” Abante said in a press briefing.

“The three impeachment complaints received in December were acted upon within the 10 session day requirement of the Constitution, and the fourth impeachment complaint was acted upon also within the bounds of the Constitution as well,” she added.

Three impeachment complaints were filed against Duterte in December 2024:

– December 2, filed by civil society groups and endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña – December 4, filed by progressive groups and endorsed by the Makabayan bloc – December 19, filed by religious groups and lawyers and endorsed by Naga City Rep. Gabriel Bordado and AAMBIS-OWA party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Colada

Under Article XI, Section 3(2) of the 1987 Constitution, a verified complaint shall be “included in the Order of Business within ten session days, and referred to the proper Committee within three session days thereafter.”

House rules meanwhile state that the Secretary General must immediately refer a verified complaint to the Office of the Speaker.

The Speaker then should have the complaint included in the Order of Business within 10 session days.

All three impeachment complaints, however, were archived as a fourth impeachment complaint was filed and signed by 215 lawmakers last February 5, effectively sending the articles to the Senate for an immediate trial, in accordance with the Constitution.

But after Duterte was impeached by the House, Mindanao-based lawyers filed a petition seeking to stop the impeachment proceedings because the House supposedly did not observe the Constitution’s rules, which requires it to act on impeachment complaints within 10 session days.

When asked how it was possible that the complaints have been calendared by 19th Congress Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez when House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said on February 3 that the complaints were still with him, Abante said that she does not know ghe specifics.

READ: VP Sara Duterte impeachment raps set to reach Speaker this week – House

However, Abante assured the public that the complaints were really calendared within 10 session days.

“Ang naalala ko, na they were acted upon within the 10 session day requirement by the Constitution which all were on February 5,” Abante said.

“What I remember is that they were acted upon within the 10 session day requirement by the Constitution which all were on February 5. I can only speak based on records, that’s what I can discuss. Technically the statements of the Secretary General, I understand that there were previous interviews, but I can only speak based on records.”

“[And the records show] that all impeachment complaints were compliant with the Constitution in the internal rules and regulation,” she added.

The House’s session during the 19th Congress adjourned last December 18 for the Christmas break, and resumed by January 13, 2025, before adjourning on February 5 for the election season break.

This means that there were at least 20 session days between December 2 to February 5.

However, Abante clarified that calendar days are different from session days. Also, there were instances that session was not adjourned — which means that session just continued up to the next day, but was counted as just one session day.

“Yes, calendar days are different from session days. When session is suspended, it is not included as a session day.”

“But definitely I think the first complaint was within nine session days siya nung naipasok sa (when it was included in the) order of business,” she added.

It was Abante who also relayed last July 11 that the House has received a copy of the SC resolution which consolidates the petitions filed by Duterte and other lawyers supporting her.

Part of the resolution requires Velasco to submit certain documents like the status of the first three complaints.

READ: House vows to submit additional impeachment details to SC

Duterte was impeached after 215 lawmakers filed and signed a fourth complaint, which was hinged on allegations of confidential fund misuse within her offices, threats to ranking officials, and other possible violations of the Constitution.

The articles of impeachment were immediately forwarded to the Senate as the 1987 Constitution requires a trial to start forthwith if at least one-third of all House members — or just 102 out of 306 — have signed and endorsed the petition.