A post circulating on Facebook claims Vice President Sara Duterte has been cleared of the charges levelled against her after the Supreme Court affirmed its July 2025 decision declaring the impeachment complaint against her unconstitutional. This needs context.
While it is true that the SC upheld its initial ruling voiding last year’s impeachment complaint against the vice president, the High Court emphasized that it did not absolve Duterte from any of the alleged offenses included in the Articles of Impeachment. It added that the same grounds may be raised again in future complaints.
On Jan. 30, a Facebook page posted a photo featuring an unrelated image of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta. At the lower part, the text read:
“SA WAKAS VOID NA IMPEACHMENT KAY VP SARAH DUTERTE WALANG KASO
(FINALLY THE IMPEACHMENT AGAINST VP SARA IS VOIDED, NO CASE)”
In a document dated Jan. 29, the SC ruled with finality that last year’s Articles of Impeachment against Duterte were unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar on impeachment proceedings against the same official, as provided in Article XI of the 1987 Constitution.
However, the ruling asserted: “While we deem the fourth complaint as barred by Article XI, Section 3(5) under the unique circumstances of this case, we underscore that the July 25, 2025 Decision did not absolve Vice President Sara Duterte.”
“At the House’s discretion, the grounds raised in the Articles of Impeachment may again be raised based on any evidence that may have been discovered, if any. It is for Congress, by initiation of the House of Representatives and trial by the Senate, to determine the fate of the incumbent Vice President,” it added.
Among the offenses raised in the previous impeachment complaint against the vice president are culpable violations of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust stemming from her alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, other acts of graft and corruption in violation of Republic Act No. 3019, and death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and former House speaker Martin Romualdez.
On Feb. 2, two separate impeachment complaints citing similar grounds of public fund misuse were filed against Duterte, one by the Makabayan bloc and another by civil society leaders and endorsed by Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña and ML Rep. Leila De Lima.
As of writing, the post published by Facebook page Ganap Ph, has so far garnered 1,900 reactions; 575 comments; and 115 shares.
