Senate asks to be excused from comment on VP Sara petition vs. impeachment

The Senate on Thursday filed a manifestation before the Supreme Court requesting to be excused from commenting on Vice President Sara Duterte’s petition challenging the impeachment case against her as they will serve as an impeachment court. 

In a three-page manifestation, the Senate said that the petition “reveals that it has actually no allegations” against the upper chamber. 

“Respondent Senate, which has the sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment under the Constitution, cannot therefore possibly make a comment on the Petition and thus, asks the Honorable Court that it be excused from submitting the Comment required under above said Resolution,” the manifestation read. 

The upper chamber then requested to admit their manifestation ad cautelam in lieu of the required comment on Duterte’s petition as ordered by SC en banc resolution last February 25. 

“Accordingly, premises considered, respondent Senate of the Philippines respectfully prays that the Honorable Court duly NOTE and APPROVE the Manifestation Ad Cautelam, and CONSIDER the same to be sufficient compliance with the En Banc Resolution dated February 25,2025,” the manifestation read. 

A manifestation ad cautelam is a declaration made “out of caution” as a response to a petition filed in court.

Duterte, in her petition filed last February, questioned the validity and constitutionality of the impeachment complaint.

She argued that it should be declared null and void as it violated the Constitution’s one-year ban on filing multiple impeachment complaints. She pointed out that the House had already acted on three prior complaints by not forwarding them to the Speaker’s office, among other reasons.

Meanwhile, a separate petition urged the SC to compel the Senate to immediately convene as an impeachment court, arguing that the Constitution does not allow delays even during recess. — BM, GMA Integrated News