𝗕𝗘𝗬𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦, 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗘𝗘𝗗

PRESS STATEMENT

July 27, 2025

 𝗕𝗘𝗬𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦, 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗘𝗘𝗗  - 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝗣𝗘𝗚

𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺, 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) expresses deep concern over the Supreme Court’s July 25 decision voiding the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte on the basis of the “one-year bar rule” provided by the 1987 Constitution.

While CenPEG acknowledges the importance of constitutional safeguards—ensuring due process, limiting impeachment to once per year—the Supreme Court’s ruling is a procedural dismissal, not a substantive clearing of the serious charges brought against the Vice President.

“𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘺 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦.”— Supreme Court, G.R. No. 278353, July 25, 2025

Among the accusations—ranging from grave abuse of power, illegal disbursement of public funds, to threats against public officials and unexplained wealth—not a single one has been addressed through fair and independent investigation. The voiding of the complaint does not erase the need for truth, accountability, and justice.

CenPEG is alarmed by the pattern of shielding powerful officials from scrutiny through legal technicalities, delays, or partisan maneuvering. This erodes public trust in our democratic institutions and reinforces a dangerous culture of impunity.

As we have asserted in earlier statements, accountability cannot be sidelined. The House of Representatives, the Senate, and all oversight bodies must assert their constitutional mandate and act with urgency to investigate credible allegations of high crimes and betrayal of public trust.

CenPEG warns that the institutional failure to pursue accountability may justify alternative mechanisms, including international legal scrutiny, especially when domestic remedies are obstructed.

We call on the Filipino people to remain vigilant and engaged. The struggle for good governance is not won in courtrooms alone—it is waged in communities, in Congress, and in every space where truth must be spoken to power.

CenPEG remains steadfast in its commitment to people-centered governance, institutional integrity, and the pursuit of justice.### 

REFERENCE: Roland Simbulan, CenPEG Chair, 09272493295

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CenPEG Media Desk

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