The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the consolidated petitions filed by Vice President Sara Duterte and lawyer Israelito Torreon questioning the House of Representatives’ handling of the impeachment complaints, ruling that the cases had become moot after the Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate.
In a resolution, the Court said the House had already completed its constitutional role in the impeachment process, while the Senate had convened as an impeachment court and begun trial proceedings. Any ruling on the actions of the House and its Committee on Justice would no longer have any practical legal effect.
The petitions argued that the House Committee on Justice exceeded its authority by gathering evidence, compelling witnesses, and declaring the impeachment complaints sufficient in form, substance, and grounds.
The Court also declined to apply the recognized exceptions that allow it to resolve issues despite mootness, finding that none of those circumstances existed in the case.
The ruling leaves the legal issues raised by Duterte and Torreon unresolved but effectively removes another procedural hurdle to the impeachment trial. With the House’s constitutional role deemed complete, the focus now shifts entirely to the Senate, which has exclusive authority to hear the case and determine whether the Vice President should be convicted or acquitted.
