Vice President Sara Z. Duterte has filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition before the Supreme Court, seeking to nullify the fourth impeachment complaint against her, which was filed by 215 members of the House of Representatives on February 5, 2025.
In her petition, Duterte argues that the latest impeachment attempt violates Section 3(5), Article XI of the Philippine Constitution, which states that “No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year”—commonly known as the “One-Year Bar.”
The Vice President is also requesting the Supreme Court to issue a writ of prohibition to prevent the Senate from acting on the impeachment complaint, citing its alleged unconstitutionality.
The respondents in the case include House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, House Secretary General Reginald S. Velasco, and Senate President Francis G. Escudero.
Duterte’s petition underscores the intensifying political tensions between the executive and legislative branches, as the impeachment efforts against her continue to escalate. The Supreme Court’s decision on this case will be a crucial test of the constitutional limits on impeachment proceedings in the country.