MANILA, Philippines — Impeachment is now an "impossible dream" and a sad day for constitutional law students and professors, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday night.
The senator's remark stemmed from the Supreme Court decision declaring as unconstitutional the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The justices unanimously denied with finality the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives, which sought to reverse the court's initial decision on the matter.
Sotto said the high court's ruling was a "clear judicial legislation." He said as written in its decision, the Supreme Court "admitted of introducing a rule for Congress to follow in the conduct of impeachment."
This was "a clear encroachment on the power of the Legislative branch, as provided for by the Constitution," Sotto said in a text message.
He said the Constitution "had just been amended unconstitutionally through Supreme Court overreach."
"It will take decades of retirements to correct this misinterpretation. When the law is clear, there is nothing to interpret, as any first year law student knows," Sotto said.
Voting 19-4-1, the Senate in Aug. 2025 voted to archive the articles of impeachment against the vice president, following a Supreme Court ruling that declared the complaint unconstitutional.
The Senate opted to shelve, but not dismiss, the impeachment case that stemmed from multiple allegations against Duterte, including betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution.
Asked whether he respected the ruling and the voided articles of impeachment would remain in the Senate archives, Sotto said, "Not really."
Pressed what would he do with the archived complaint against Duterte, Sotto said, "I'll think about it."
House acknowledges SC decision
Meanwhile, Speaker Faustino Dy III said in a statement that the House of Representatives "acknowledged the decision of the Supreme Court in connection with the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
"Impeachment is a process which is clearly stipulated by the Constitution and which has specific criteria. Taking care in the process of impeachment is important [...]", Dy said.
"As a co-equal branch of government, the House fully respects the Supreme Court as the final arbiter on issues of constitutionality. This respect is grounded in our shared commitment to the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the orderly functioning of democratic institutions", Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez said in a statement.