ML party-list Representative Leila de Lima expressed strong opposition to the Senate impeachment court’s second directive to the House, calling it a violation of the Constitution.
“I always hold the position that at this point, the Senate cannot be asking or cannot be demanding anything from the House of Representatives with respect to the impeachment case. Kasi nagawa na ng House of Representatives iyung role niya. So what is left to be done is ‘yung umpisahan na ‘yung trial,” De Lima asserted.
“I consider it violative of the Constitution… Hindi na dapat kung ano pa ang mga rine-require from the House of Representatives,” she added.
De Lima’s remarks come amid legal concerns surrounding the impeachment court’s second order. The Senate required the House prosecution panel to submit a resolution that ratifies the impeachment actions of the 19th Congress, which the 20th Congress approved. Some lawmakers and legal experts fear that this could be seen as initiating another impeachment complaint within the same year—a move potentially barred by the Constitution.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno earlier warned that the second requirement might be a legal “trap,” arguing that compliance could violate the one-year ban on filing multiple impeachment complaints against the same official.
De Lima further advised the House to tread carefully. “The House of Representatives should be cautious in its next step,” she said.
For his part, House prosecutor and Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor said the 20th Congress lawmakers have yet to discuss how to respond formally. Still, he stressed that they would follow the impeachment court’s directive.
“We have not discussed yet as an entire body for the 20th Congress. But like every court and like every litigant in court, and like every prosecutor, we should abide by whatever order the impeachment court will require from us,” Defensor stated.
He also noted that the prosecution team is ready to present evidence and is awaiting the start of the Senate’s pre-trial proceedings.
Defensor welcomed the addition of new legislators like De Lima and Diokno to the prosecution team, praising their legal backgrounds.
“I have not spoken to them personally. But I hope they will join the prosecution team because they are very good additions with their experience in the law,” he said.
The two newly elected House members from the 20th Congress were previously named to the panel.
Meanwhile, Diokno said the opposition has long advocated for accountability and now sees the impeachment process as an opportunity to deliver on that promise.
“I believe there already is a unified stand on the impeachment. The opposition has been calling for accountability for a long time. And this is a perfect opportunity to show the people that we are serious about accountability,” Diokno said.
