House defers acceptance of impeachment articles from Senate

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has chosen not to receive the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte from the Senate until it provides clarification on the order that the prosecution panel seeks.

During the 19th Congress' last plenary session on Wednesday, June 11, House Deputy Majority Leader Faustino "Inno" Dy moved to "defer" the acceptance of the articles of impeachment. The motion passed and was accepted by the body.

"Mr. Speaker, I move to defer acceptance of the articles of impeachment until such time, as the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, has responded to the clarificatory queries raised by the panel of prosecutors relative to the remand of the subject articles," he said. 

The lower chamber also adopted House Resolution 2346, certifying that the impeachment proceedings it initiated against Duterte on February 5 as "fully compliant" with Article XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the 1987 Constitution. 

This provision refers to the one-year prohibition rule, where "no impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once" within a year. 

It also verifies the fourth impeachment complaint endorsed by at least one-third of the House membership as legal. 

The resolution also seeks to declare the filing of the first three impeachment complaints against Duterte within the bounds of the Constitution. 

The House has adopted Resolution 2346 certifying the impeachment proceedings it initiated as fully compliant with the Constitution.

It moved to direct the issuance of a certification. The resolution, however, does not state the certification will be sent to the Senate. | via… pic.twitter.com/DgvYA6jEHS

— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) June 11, 2025

This prompted Dy to move for the issuance of a certification, which was approved by the body. 

"Mr. Speaker, I move to direct the secretary general to issue the certification in accordance with the adopted resolution," he said. 

While it seems that the House complied with the Senate's order to issue a certification of non-violation, the resolution did not state that it was in response to the impeachment court. The motion also does not indicate any agreement with the order. 

The House prosecution panel earlier said it will issue a motion for clarification to the impeachment court regarding the Senate order, adding that it will only comply if the court's response is constitutionally sound.  

The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, voted 18-5 to return the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives for two reasons: one, for the chamber to clarify it did not violate the Constitution and two, for the 20th Congress to inform the court if it will pursue the impeachment complaint. 

However, the prosecution has pointed out that the order to return is unprecedented and that the 20th Congress has not convened yet. How, then, could it comply with the order? 

RELATED: Sara Duterte's trial: House prosecution seeks clarification to Senate order