Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Thursday, January 29 expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s decision to deny with finality the House of Representatives’ appeal to reverse the July 25, 2025 ruling declaring the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional.

The SC decision, likewise, upheld its earlier position that the Senate did not acquire the jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings. 

“It is a sad day for Constitutional Law students and professors. The Constitution had just been amended unconstitutionally through Supreme Court overreach,” Sotto said in a statement.

“It will take decades of retirements to correct this misinterpretation. When the law is clear, there is nothing to interpret, as any first year law student knows,” he said.

Moreover, Sotto said the decision is “a clear judicial legislation,” with the SC, as written in their decision, “admitted to introducing a rule for Congress to follow in the conduct of impeachment.”

“A clear encroachment on the power of the Legislative branch, as provided for by the Constitution,” he pointed out.

“Impeachment is now an impossible dream!” he lamented.

In a resolution made public on Thursday, the SC unanimously ruled that the fourth impeachment complaint which reached the Senate on Feb. 5, 2025, was prohibited under Article XI, Section 3 (5) of the Constitution.

Under the said provision, “no impeachment shall be initiated against the same person more than once within a period of one year.”

Also, the SC clarified provisions regarding the “initiation” of an impeachment complaint, rejecting the House of Representatives’ interpretation of “initiation” of impeachment.

For the SC, session days should mean “calendar days” in which the House holds a session.