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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Will the impeachment court defy an SC ruling? It's within the plenary powers — spox

Will the impeachment court defy an SC ruling? It's within the plenary powers — spox

Published Jul 8, 2026 09:46 am

At A Glance

  • Senate has the constitutional authority to decide how to respond to a Supreme Court order, but Impeachment Court Spokesperson Reginald Tongol said it has historically respected the balance of power among the government's co-equal branches.
  • Tongol said the Senate aims to avoid a constitutional crisis, noting that the executive, legislative, and judicial branches have traditionally respected one another's constitutional powers.
Whether or not there's a possibility that the impeachment court would not follow a future ruling of the Supreme Court (SC), Impeachment Court spokesperson Reginald Tongol said the matter falls within the plenary powers of a co-equal branch of government.
Scenes during the second day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate Session Hall in Pasay City on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Mark Balmores)
Scenes during the second day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate Session Hall in Pasay City on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Mark Balmores)
"However, as we have seen before, the Senate always respects the balance of power," he said.
"So kung yun po yung guidance natin, makikita po natin na susundin nila yung co-equal branch of government nila (If that will be the guidance, we will see that they'll follow their co-equal branch of government) so long as it does not prevent them from exercising their own powers under the Constitution," he added.
This was after Vice President Sara Duterte asked the High Court on Tuesday, July 7, to stop the ongoing trial of her impeachment case by the Senate sitting as the Impeachment Court.
In her urgent motion and manifestation on two pending SC petitions, which she herself and lawyer Israelito P. Torreon and others had earlier filed, Duterte challenged the authority of Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero to preside over the proceedings of the Impeachment Court.
Tongol said the Senate seeks to avoid a constitutional crisis, noting that the country's three co-equal branches of government have historically respected one another's authority and have not reached a point where the principle of co-equality was violated.
Asked whether the impeachment court could face a situation similar to that during the impeachment trial of late former Chief Justice Renato Corona, Tongol said it would be premature to speculate because each case is different.
"So ayoko pong pangunahan kung ano po yung magiging aksyon ng ating mga senator judges at ng impeachment court. But I think we have to just wait for it when the time comes. We will cross the bridge when we get there," he said.
In February 2012, during Corona's trial, the SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) barring the Senate impeachment court from compelling the Philippine Savings Bank to disclose Corona's foreign currency accounts.
On Feb. 14, 2012, the Senate voted 13-10 to respect the TRO protecting the foreign currency deposits while allowing the impeachment trial to proceed on its remaining issues.

Related Tags

impeachment court Supreme Court Vice President Sara Duterte
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