DAVAO CITY – A group of lawyers filed Friday a petition before the Supreme Court of the Philippines seeking to stop the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The law firm, Torreon & Partners, led by lawyer Israelito P. Torreon, asks the high court to issue a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction against the House Committee on Justice and the House of Representatives.
In their 186-page filing, the petitioners urged the court to stop all actions related to the impeachment complaints, including their processing, as well as any hearings, deliberations, or voting.
Court records show the case, docketed as G.R. No. E-05546 , was filed on March 27, 2026, and raffled shortly after.
The lawyers argued that the House panel committed grave abuse of discretion by allowing the complaints to proceed despite alleged constitutional and procedural flaws.
Torreon said they filed the petition as citizens and taxpayers, adding that the Constitution allows the Supreme Court to review government actions for possible abuse of discretion.
The group claimed that the third and fourth impeachment complaints were defective, citing alleged weaknesses in form and substance. They also said the same lawmakers supported multiple complaints and that some allegations were reused and presented as revised versions.
According to the petitioners, impeachment complaints that are insufficient at the start should be dismissed and not strengthened through subpoenas, hearings, or additional evidence.
They also questioned the House committee’s actions on March 25, saying it went beyond checking the complaints and instead tried to build a case.
The petition further challenged the issuance of subpoenas and requests for documents, such as financial records and sworn statements, which the lawyers said exceeded the scope of the complaints.
The lawyers also raised concerns about possible bias, claiming some committee members had already expressed support for the impeachment complaints.
They argued that while the House has the power to initiate impeachment, it must still follow constitutional limits and due process.
The petitioners asked the Supreme Court to stop the proceedings, declare the House panel’s actions unconstitutional, and prevent further steps based on the questioned complaints.
As of writing, the Supreme Court has not yet issued any ruling on the petition, including the request for a TRO. (By Ivy Tejano)
