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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Wag na magpagamit': De Lima issues appeal to SC amid moves to stop VP Duterte impeachment

'Wag na magpagamit': De Lima issues appeal to SC amid moves to stop VP Duterte impeachment

Published Mar 27, 2026 06:12 pm

At A Glance

  • Don't let yourselves be "used" again. This was Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima's appeal to Supreme Court (SC) justices Friday, March 27 after lawyer Israelito Torreon filed a petition for certiorari with prayer for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the House Committee on Justice's impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


Don't let yourselves be "used" again.
This was Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima's appeal to Supreme Court (SC) justices Friday, March 27 after lawyer Israelito Torreon filed a petition for certiorari with prayer for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the House Committee on Justice's impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
"This time, the [SC] should tell VP Sara to stop using them to evade accountability," De Lima said in a statement.
"Hindi dapat pumayag ang korte na palagi na lang silang ginagawang takbuhan ni Sara sa pag-iwas niya sa pananagutan sa batas (The court must not allow itself to be her constant refuge in avoiding responsibility under the law)," said the former Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary.
De Lima was apparently alluding to events last year, when Vice President Duterte's camp challenged before the high court the legality of the House's impeachment proceedings against her.
That particular complaint was eventually declared unconstitutional due to a technicality in the filing process. It should be noted that the House successfully impeached Duterte on Feb. 5, 2025 via the fast-track mode.
De Lima is an endorser of one of the two active impeachment complaints filed against Duterte this year. Unlike in 2025, this year's complaints went through the committee track--and Torreon's petition aimed to stop it.
The justice committee is currently holding hearings to determine whether or not probable cause exists in the active complaints.
Although the petitioner has distanced himself from the Vice President, De Lima still interprets the filing as a sign of desperation and fear from the respondent.
"We have yet to see and read the full text of the petition, but whatever their arguments are, it is obvious that VP Sara is showing signs of desperation in trying to evade accountability (once again!) by not facing the impeachment proceedings," the congresswoman said.
"May pa-'bloodbath, bloodbath' pang sinasabi noon. Sa simpleng committee hearing nga ay takot na takot ngayon (So much for the 'bloodbath' that you were looking for last time. A simple committee strikes so much fear in you now)," said De Lima.

Related Tags

Leila de Lima Sara Duterte Supreme Court temporary restraining order (TRO)
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