Ex-Marcos aide challenges Senate impeachment ruling at Supreme Court

MANILA — Former Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez brought his challenge to the Senate impeachment court before the Supreme Court on Thursday, filing a 24-page petition for certiorari and prohibition that questions the chamber's authority to modify constitutional requirements.

Rodriguez argued that the Senate's decision to lower the number of votes needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte to 14 constitutes an unauthorized rewriting of the Constitution. The petition contests the procedural legitimacy of the impeachment court's voting mechanism, suggesting the Senate exceeded its constitutional mandate in establishing the conviction threshold.

The challenge marks an escalation in legal disputes surrounding Duterte's impeachment proceedings. By filing directly with the Supreme Court, Rodriguez is seeking to invalidate or prevent the Senate impeachment court from continuing under what he characterizes as unconstitutional parameters.

The case highlights ongoing tensions between the executive and legislative branches regarding constitutional interpretation. The Supreme Court will now determine whether the Senate's procedural decisions in the impeachment process comply with constitutional requirements governing such proceedings.

The outcome could have significant implications for how the Senate conducts impeachment trials and the weight given to constitutional provisions governing the removal of high-ranking officials. The court's ruling may also clarify the boundaries between the Senate's discretionary powers and mandatory constitutional procedures in impeachment cases.