MANILA — The House of Representatives Prosecution Panel is prepared to elevate the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio to the Supreme Court should the Senate dismiss the complaint without trial, warning of a potential constitutional crisis if due process is sidestepped.
House Prosecution Panel spokesperson Atty. Antonio Audie Bucoy said the Supreme Court remains the final arbiter on whether the Senate’s potential dismissal of the case would be constitutional.
“Wala kaming ibang pupuntahan kasi ang SC lang ang final judge ng constitutional issue of whether it is compliant with the Constitution or not,” Bucoy said at the Saturday News Forum.
He added that the panel is ready to file a petition for certiorari with mandamus if the Senate impeachment court rules in favor of the Vice President’s motion to dismiss.
“‘Yun lang ang puwede namin i-akyat eh, ‘yung grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction… mandamus for the [Supreme] Court to compel the [Senate] court to try it,” Bucoy said.
“The only thing the SC can do is either reverse or modify ‘yung kanilang decision,” he added.
Senate President Francis Escudero earlier said the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, may vote on the motion to dismiss if any senator-judge files it.
“Wala namang bawal na motion… Asan ba ‘yung provision sa Saligang Batas o sa Rules on Impeachment na bawal ang ganito o ganyang klaseng motion? Hindi mo namang pwedeng pigilan,” Escudero said.
Duterte-Carpio faces accusations of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes — primarily linked to the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, and for allegedly issuing death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The Vice President has denied all allegations./PN
