Manila: The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a petition aimed at mandating the Senate to immediately convene as an impeachment court for the trial of charges against Vice President Sara Duterte in 2025. The decision was delivered with a 14-0-1 verdict, authored by Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda, declaring the petition filed by Catalino Aldeo Generillo Jr. as moot.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Supreme Court's decision was based on the fact that the Senate had already initiated preparations for impeachment, and the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Duterte were nullified by the SC's previous decisions in Duterte v. House of Representatives in July 2025 and January 2026. The court explained that the case was deemed moot due to the absence of any remaining Articles of Impeachment, rendering a court ruling unnecessary.

The Supreme Court emphasized that the Senate's actions within its constitutional purview cannot be overridden or managed by the judicial department via mandamus. As a co-equal constitutional body, the Senate's execution of its responsibilities is beyond the SC's review power, except in situations involving grave misuse of discretion.

In this specific case, the SC considered the petition as one for certiorari to assess whether the Senate acted unlawfully or with abuse of discretion by not convening immediately as an impeachment court during its session break. The SC concluded that the Senate handled the impeachment complaint in a timely manner, contrary to the petitioner's assertion.

The court also clarified the interpretation of the term 'forthwith' in Article XI, Section 3(4) of the Constitution, indicating it as 'within a reasonable time,' which may vary depending on the circumstances. This interpretation allows the Senate adequate time to prepare for convening as an impeachment court while ensuring that public officers remain accountable without undue delay.