SC ruling shows impeachment court proceedings are constitutionally bulletproof -- court spox

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For Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol, the Supreme Court’s (SC) dismissal of the petitions challenging its ruling on the impeachment voting threshold means that the impeachment court’s proceedings are “constitutionally bulletproof.”

Tongol said that the SC’s dismissal on procedural grounds, including lack of standing and prematurity, “effectively confirms the interpretations and proceedings of the Senate Impeachment Court are constitutionally bulletproof.”

“By junking these challenges, the Highest Court has drawn a definitive firewall around the independence of the Senate as an Impeachment Court, confirming that its proceedings cannot be held hostage by premature judicial meddling or collateral litigation,” he said.

To recall, the impeachment court voted to base the two-thirds of votes required for conviction on the number of senators who are capable of "legally and factually participating in the impeachment proceedings."

This prompted former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez, Berteni Causing, and lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. to file petitions seeking a temporary restraining order or status quo ante order against its implementation.

Tongol said that the impeachment court shall continue its mandate to try and decide impeachment cases.

Duterte’s impeachment trial entered its 31st day on Tuesday, September 29.

The House prosecution panel is presenting Article 2 of the Articles of Impeachment, which charges the Vice President with acquiring unexplained assets.

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—RF, GMA News