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Bella Cariaso - The Philippine Star
April 2, 2026 | 12:00am
Vice President Sara Duterte
The Philippines STAR / Miguel de Guzman
MANILA, Philippines — Lawyers of Vice President Sara Duterte were not consulted by those who asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the impeachment proceedings against her at the House committee on justice.
This is according to Duterte’s lawyer Michael Poa.
“No one contacted me from that group. In fact, I was surprised that they filed that day. In fact, I had a discussion with the defense team,” Poa told Bilyonaryo News Channel yesterday. “We weren’t consulted.”
A group of 10 led by lawyer Israelito Torreon filed their petition for certiorari and prohibition, as well as a request for temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction against House justice panel chair Gerville Luistro and Speaker Faustino Dy III.
“I do know some of them personally, because we’ve crossed paths, but we weren’t consulted. In fact, the Vice President, I think in an interview the other day or yesterday, also mentioned that she wasn’t consulted,” Poa maintained.
He said he has not read the petition filed by Torreon’s group, noting that the defense team will not request for a copy of the complaint.
“Deliberately, we’re not reading the petition because as a defense team, we have our own strategy and theory. Now, there is tendency… when you read someone else’s petition, you get swayed or you might get swayed by the arguments… I think it’s within their right. They felt that there was something that they had to raise,” he added.
Meanwhile, Poa gave assurance that he will attend the hearing of the House justice panel on April 14 after a subpoena was issued against him.
What violation?
For a professor from the University of the Philippines, the House justice panel did not commit any violation as the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the Vice President are being challenged before the SC.
“They (justice panel) followed the process. In fact, I myself observed the proceedings, sometimes it seems like there is too much compliance, which is not necessary,” UP College of Law assistant professor Michael Tiu Jr. told radio dzMM.
Torreon alleged that the House justice panel “committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction by allowing impeachment complaints that are ‘constitutionally and procedurally defective on their face’ to proceed beyond the threshold stage.”
According to the law expert, it is understandable for the camp of Duterte and her allies to question the impeachment proceedings.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean that no one will challenge it. Because if you are on the side of VP Sara and her defense team, everything is an irregularity because these procedures are new because of the SC decision. They are also testing the limits,” he noted.
Meanwhile, justice panel vice chair and Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said they might complete the probable cause stage of the impeachment proceedings as early as April.
The panel has set hearings on April 14, 22 and 29, but Flores said the timeline could be shortened depending on the pace of the proceedings.
At the same time, Tiu said the Vice President’s camp was aware of the plan of Torreon and company amid the public denial.
“Legally, they need to say that. There is a perception issue here as they are constantly appealing to the SC, which is their right. We can give them the benefit of the doubt. But as perceptive human beings, it is clear that they know,” Tiu stressed. – Jose Rodel Clapano
