A lawyer has urged the House committee on justice to postpone its April 14 hearing on impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte while awaiting a Supreme Court decision. Duterte filed a petition seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the proceedings. Her counsel described postponement as the prudent course.
Paolo Panelo, counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte in her perjury case against alleged bagman Ramil Madriaga, told SMNI that the House committee on justice should postpone its April 14 hearing. "That’s the prudent thing to do. When there is a litigant who goes to the Supreme Court but there’s no initial TRO, the lower court, in deference to the Supreme Court, postpones the hearings…," he said. He expects the committee to proceed regardless.
Duterte filed a 58-page petition with the Supreme Court seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the impeachment proceedings, including any trial or preliminary investigation. House deputy speaker Paolo Ortega V cited a WR Numero Philippine Public Opinion Monitor survey from March 10 to 17, 2026, involving 1,455 respondents nationwide, showing Filipinos prioritize evidence and accountability. "The people want this process taken seriously. They want the facts examined," Ortega said.
Supporters including Ronald Adamat of Volunteers for Inday for President and Maulana Balangi of One Bangsamoro Movement called the impeachment an attempt to block Duterte's 2028 presidential run, announced in mid-February. They filed a petition-in-intervention with the Supreme Court on April 8. Rep. Joel Chua affirmed the House is following constitutional and Supreme Court-mandated processes.
The justice committee subpoenaed records including envelopes labeled “HOPE” submitted by former DepEd undersecretary Gloria Jumamil Mercado, who testified they came from Duterte via assistant secretary Sunshine Fajarda.
