Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña is facing an indirect contempt petition before the Supreme Court after describing it as the “Supreme Coddler of the Philippines” for blocking the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
On July 30, Lawyer Mark Tolentino confirmed that he had filed the petition against Cendaña and political analyst Richard Heydarian. Tolentino said the petition stemmed from what he called “malicious and contemptuous” remarks directed at the high court.
Cendaña made the statement after the Supreme Court dismissed the impeachment complaints against Vice President Duterte in a decision released July 25, citing violations of the one-year bar rule.
He criticized the decision as a blow to democratic principles, saying, “Gaya ng makulimlim na panahon. Madilim din ang ating demokrasya. Binalewala na Supreme Court ang konstitusyon.”
He also claimed the high court disregarded its own previous decisions and the separation of powers “para lang protektahan ang bise presidente,” further adding that it had “ni-reduce ang kanyang sarili bilang supreme coddler of the Philippines.”
The Akbayan lawmaker warned that dismissing the impeachment complaints could embolden officials to avoid accountability. “The dismissal of the impeachment sets a dangerous precedent. Lahat ng tiwaling politiko pwedeng magtago sa likod ng Supreme Court at takasan ang pananagutan sa sambayanan,” he said.
Cendaña concluded by calling it “a disastrous day for Philippine democracy.”
The petition asks the Supreme Court to hold Cendaña and Heydarian in indirect contempt for their public statements. Cendaña had also questioned the integrity of the justices, claiming they were political appointees beholden to former President Rodrigo Duterte.
