The Supreme Court‘s unanimous decision to dismiss the petition seeking to compel the upper house to act “forthwith” on Vice President Sara Duterte’s 2025 impeachment vindicated former Senate President Chiz Escudero, the Senate impeachment court’s ex-spokesperson said.
In a statement Wednesday, Atty. Regie Tongol said the ruling proved critics wrong and affirmed that the Senate was right to choose “constitutional prudence” over rushing the process as demanded by detractors.
“It protects the impeachment process from being weaponized through unrealistic timelines and reinforces the Senate’s independence in fulfilling its role as a high court, proving that the institution cannot be bullied by public pressure or rushed by the misinterpretations of pundits,” Tongol said.
The Court clarified that “forthwith” does not mean immediately convening an impeachment trial but rather acting in a timely manner, noting the word allows flexibility. At the same time, it stressed the Senate “must avoid undue delay to uphold the principle that public officers must at all times be accountable to the people.”
The justices also found no unlawful delay and declared the case moot after earlier rulings nullified the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, leaving no basis to compel the Senate to proceed — illustrating that the chamber under Escudero acted with prudence.
“This ruling is not just a vindication for those of us who navigated these complex legal waters; it is a victory for constitutional stability. It protects the impeachment process from being weaponized through unrealistic timelines and reinforces the Senate’s independence in fulfilling its role as a high court, proving that the institution cannot be bullied by public pressure or rushed by the misinterpretations of pundits,” Tongol said.
