The Supreme Court has ruled that Vice President Sara Duterte's first impeachment case is unconstitutional due to violations of the one-year bar rule and due process. It clarified that new complaints can now be filed immediately. Duterte's lawyers are prepared for potential future proceedings.
On January 29, 2026, the Supreme Court denied the House of Representatives' motion for reconsideration, upholding its July 25, 2025, decision that declared Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment unconstitutional. The ruling cited violations of the one-year bar rule under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the 1987 Constitution, which prohibits more than one impeachment proceeding against the same official within 12 months.
Speaking to overseas Filipino workers in The Hague, Netherlands, Duterte revealed that her lawyers have been preparing since the fourth quarter of 2023, after a House member announced plans to file a case against her. "Yes, 'yung mga lawyers, they've been preparing. They were hired as early as the fourth quarter of 2023," Duterte said. She noted discussions on another impeachment before last Christmas, expecting annual attempts until her term ends.
The Court clarified that 'session days' in impeachment contexts mean calendar days with House plenary sessions. Since the first three complaints from December 2024 were not placed in the Order of Business within 10 session days after endorsement, the one-year bar was triggered on January 14, 2025. Thus, new impeachments can be filed immediately, without waiting for February 6, 2026.
Senate President Tito Sotto criticized the decision as 'judicial legislation' and an 'encroachment on the Legislative branch.' "Impeachment is now an impossible dream!" he said. Representatives like Joel Chua and Jonathan Keith Flores stated that House impeachment rules need revision to comply with the Court's clarifications. The Makabayan bloc plans to refile a complaint, while Rep. Leila de Lima emphasized it is merely a technicality that does not absolve Duterte of allegations including fund misuse, unexplained wealth, and others.
The ruling impacts upcoming impeachments, including those against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
