Manila: The fate of Vice President Sara Duterte will be determined by the Supreme Court (SC) since it is the ‘final arbiter’ of the law and will be the one to rule with finality on her impeachment case, Malaca±ang said on Friday. In an interview with reporters at PR001, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the SC has yet to decide on the motion for reconsideration seeking the reversal of its ruling that declared as unconstitutional the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.

According to Philippines News Agency, Castro emphasized that whatever the decision of the Supreme Court will be, it will be respected by both the President and the Executive branch, as the SC is the final arbiter of any legal issues. “Noon pa natin sinagot ito. Kung anuman ang magiging desisyon ng Supreme Court, yan ay igagalang ng Pangulo, ng Ehekutibo. Bakit? Because the Supreme Court is the final arbiter of any legal issues,” Castro said. She further mentioned that there is still a motion for reconsideration pending, and the nation should wait for the SC’s decision on the matter.

The Senate on Wednesday approved the motion of Senator Rodante Marcoleta to ‘adhere to the immediately executory decision’ of the SC, effectively archiving the impeachment complaint. The SC en banc, in a unanimous decision on July 25, ruled that the Senate could not acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings, citing that the impeachment complaint is barred by the Constitution’s one-year rule and violates the right to due process enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

During a press briefing in India on Friday, President Marcos stated that the SC decision on Duterte’s impeachment case addresses only procedural issues and does not touch on the substance of the complaint. He assured that neither he nor Malaca±ang will intervene in issues related to Duterte’s impeachment.

Castro reminded that the impeachment articles were not submitted by the Marcos administration but by the House of Representatives. “Well, unang-una siguro dapat mapaaalala sa ating bise presidente na hindi ang administrasyon ni Marcos Jr., hindi ang ehekutibo ang nagsampa or nag-submit ng articles of impeachment kundi ang House of Representatives,” she said. She reiterated that the President and the executive branch will not interfere in the workings of the House and the Senate.