Impeachment Case Against Sara Duterte Doomed Due to Time Constraints

 




A whisper of doubt has become a roar of skepticism surrounding the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal has sounded the alarm, warning that time, not political maneuvering, may be the biggest obstacle to the case's success.

"If the impeachment case against Sara Duterte starts being heard on June 2, that case is already dead," Macalintal said in a recent interview. The case, filed on February 5, alleges misuse of confidential funds and issuing threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.




With 215 lawmakers endorsing the complaint, far surpassing the required one-third of the House, the case was expected to swiftly proceed to the Senate for trial. However, the transition has been stalled, and Senate President Francis Escudero's invitation to the House prosecution panel to present the articles on June 2 may be too little, too late.

"The present Senate no longer has time — its term ends by June 30," Macalintal said, citing Rule 44 of the Senate, which states that all pending matters and proceedings die with the adjournment or termination of Congress. This means the incoming Senate cannot simply resume the impeachment trial.

Macalintal's assessment aligns with Escudero's earlier public statements, describing the June timeline as "practically unworkable." Despite the political eagerness among some lawmakers to press forward, Macalintal's evaluation suggests they may have run out of procedural runway.

"It's not just a matter of political will or Senate floor debates," he said. "It's a matter of the Senate's own deadlines and the Constitution's limits." The Constitution explicitly prohibits the filing of more than one impeachment case against the same official within a one-year period, making any renewed attempt likely to be blocked as unconstitutional.

The Office of the Vice President confirmed receipt of the Senate's letter regarding the June 2 proceedings, but Duterte's camp remains tight-lipped about its defense strategy. Sources close to Duterte suggest they are banking on constitutional defenses, not just political alliances, to block the trial.


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