By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday dismissed the consolidated petitions filed by Vice President Sara Duterte and her legal team questioning the House of Representatives’ handling of the impeachment complaints against her, ruling that the cases had already become moot after the Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate.
Acting during its En Banc session on Aug. 5, the High Court dismissed G.R. No. E-05546, filed by lawyer Israelito P. Torreon and others, and G.R. No. E-05667, filed by Vice President Duterte, saying there was no longer any live controversy requiring judicial intervention because the House had already completed its constitutional role in the impeachment process.
In its resolution, the Court held that the transmission of the Articles of Impeachment marked the completion of the House’s participation and formally initiated the impeachment case before the Senate.
“The actions sought to be restrained had already been completed,” the Court essentially ruled, noting that the impeachment proceedings have already shifted to the Senate, which has convened as an impeachment court and begun hearing the case.
The petitions challenged the actions of the House Committee on Justice, alleging that it exceeded its constitutional authority by gathering evidence and compelling witnesses to testify during its preliminary evaluation of the impeachment complaints. The petitioners likewise questioned the committee’s determination that the complaints were sufficient in form, substance, and grounds.
However, the High Court said any ruling on those issues would no longer have any practical effect because jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings has already passed to the Senate.
The Court acknowledged that it may, in exceptional circumstances, resolve cases that have technically become moot. Nevertheless, it found that none of the recognized exceptions to the mootness doctrine applied in the present controversy.
The ruling removes another legal challenge against the impeachment proceedings and effectively leaves the Senate impeachment court to continue hearing the case without judicial interference on the House’s completed actions.
In a separate resolution, the Supreme Court granted writs of amparo and habeas data in favor of lawyer Rey A. Gorgonio and three other petitioners who claimed they had been subjected to red-tagging by military and law enforcement authorities.
The Court also issued a temporary protection order directing Lieutenant General Antonio G. Nafarrete and other respondents to stay at least one kilometer away from the petitioners and their immediate family members.
Respondent military and police officials were ordered to file verified returns and comments before the Court of Appeals within ten days of receiving the order.
The Court further instructed the appellate court to conduct a summary hearing and determine whether the petitioners are entitled to the continued protection of the writs, with a decision to be issued within ten days after the case is submitted for resolution.
The petitioners alleged they were falsely branded as members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army because of their human rights advocacy and their work with Paghida-et sa Kauswagan Development Group Inc., a non-government organization assisting farmers and rural communities in Negros Island in pursuing agrarian reform.
The Supreme Court resolutions were announced by the Office of the Spokesperson following the En Banc session held on Aug. 5.
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