Today, something really big happened in the Philippines’ government! The Supreme Court (SC)—the highest and most powerful court in the land—said that the plan to remove Vice President Sara Duterte from her job is not allowed.
Here’s what happened:
A group of lawmakers tried to kick out VP Sara by saying she did something wrong with some secret money. They created what’s called “Articles of Impeachment”, which is like a list of very serious accusations.
But the Supreme Court said, “Hold on! That’s not fair!” They looked at the rules written in the Constitution (that’s like the country’s rulebook) and saw that:
-
You can’t try to impeach someone more than once a year.
-
And, more importantly, Sara Duterte wasn’t even given a fair chance to defend herself before they sent the complaint to the Senate!
So, the court voted 13-0, meaning all the justices agreed: The impeachment complaint is unconstitutional and unfair. The person who wrote this decision was Justice Marvic Leonen.
What does this mean?
-
The Senate can’t move forward with the trial.
-
But this doesn’t mean VP Sara is off the hook forever—a new complaint can still be filed, but only starting February 6, 2026.
Why did this happen?
Before this fourth complaint, there were already three others filed in December 2024. But none of those were fully discussed or decided. When a fourth one was suddenly pushed forward in early 2025, the Supreme Court said:
“Wait, that’s too fast. You can’t just ignore the rules.”
The court explained that doing things the wrong way—even for the right reasons—sets a bad example for the future. That’s why the rules must be followed, especially when trying to remove someone from a very important job.
What did the House of Representatives say?
They were not happy. They said “This isn’t over yet!” and that trying to remove leaders is something Congress has the power to do if needed. They also reminded everyone that impeachment is the people’s voice being heard.
What did Malacañang and the Senate say?
They said, “Let’s respect the decision of the Supreme Court. We should trust our institutions and follow the law.”
What did Sara Duterte’s team say?
They were very happy! Her lawyers said this decision shows that nobody should abuse the impeachment process, and they are still ready to answer the charges in the right place and time.
But wait, what were these complaints really about?
All the complaints were about confidential or secret money that VP Sara allegedly used the wrong way. That’s why some lawmakers were very upset and wanted to impeach her.
The Supreme Court also gave some important rules:
-
Anyone accused should be given a copy of the complaint and be allowed to speak before things move forward.
-
There must be real proof shown to everyone, not just a few lawmakers.
-
There must be enough time for everyone to decide properly—not rush.
-
The acts being accused must be really serious and happen during the leader’s current term.
The Court said impeachment may be political, but it still needs to follow the law—just like any legal process.
So, to sum it up:
-
VP Sara is safe for now, but the fight might continue in the future.
-
The Supreme Court stood its ground, saying the rules and fairness matter more than politics.
-
And everyone—from the House to the Senate to Malacañang—is watching what happens next.
