SC directs Senate to comment on petition calling for Sara impeachment trial

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed the Senate to comment on the petition seeking to compel the Upper Chamber to immediately begin the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, High Court spokesperson Camille Ting said.

According to Ting, the High Court required the Senate to comment on the petition within a non-extendible period of 10 days upon receipt from notice.

Ting said the petition was treated as "urgent."

"I can't say what the SC en Banc, what they deliberated on, specifically the reason for the urgency. But impeachment is a nationwide concern that will be treated with urgency because of the gravity of the matter," she said in a press briefing.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Senate President Francis Escudero but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

Last week, lawyer Catalino Generillo Jr. asked the SC to compel the Senate to "immediately" convene as an impeachment court, arguing that the Constitution does not permit the Senate to delay its duty during recess.

Citing Article XI Section 3 of the Constitution, Generillo said the Charter was clear on the "definite periods of time" to take specific actions with regard to an impeachment complaint.

Section 3(4) of Article XI states: "In case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed."

Meanwhile, when asked if the SC could intervene, Ting said the SC is generally tasked to determine if pleadings are in accordance with the Constitution.

She said the Charter gives the Court power to determine if there was grave abuse of discretion.

"I wouldn't call it intervene, but under the 1987 Constitution, the Constitution gives the SC power to determine if there's any grave abuse of discretion on any branch of the government," Ting said.

'Constitutionally deficient'

The Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate on February 5, the same day the House of Representatives impeached Duterte.

Also on Tuesday, a petition asking the SC to direct the Senate to cease and desist from conducting the impeachment proceedings was also filed today by lawyers from Mindanao and others.

They also asked that the Articles of Impeachment be declared null and void, arguing that the impeachment complaint transmitted by the House of Representatives to the Senate is "constitutionally deficient."

In a related development, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Tuesday called on Escudero to immediately start Duterte's impeachment trial, emphasizing that it is the Senate's constitutional mandate to do so. — VDV, GMA Integrated News