MANILA — Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri called on the Senate to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the ruling is “final and binding.”

This comes as some senators push for a resolution asking the High Court to reconsider its decision.

“I respect the views of my colleagues who are pushing for the Senate resolution asking the Supreme Court to effectively reconsider its decision on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte,” Zubiri said in a statement.

“But I firmly maintain my position that we must comply immediately with the Supreme Court’s decision, as it is clearly stated to be ‘immediately executory.’ The ruling is final and binding, and in a constitutional democracy, that should mean exactly what it says,” he added.

While acknowledging the value of legal opinions in a democracy, Zubiri cautioned against challenging settled matters.

“While legal opinions are welcome in a democratic setting, we must be careful not to overstep boundaries already settled by the Court,” he said.

“We do not serve the public well by insisting on reopening matters already resolved by the Constitution’s final arbiter. That sends the wrong signal to the people and weakens the institutions we are sworn to protect,” he added.

Zubiri also warned against setting a precedent where any group could disregard Supreme Court decisions through resolutions.

“Let’s not set a precedent that any group, Senado man yan o ibang organisasyon, can undermine the Supreme Court through mere resolutions. The answer to a constitutional ruling is not political maneuvering. It is obedience,” he said.

Recalling his years in the House minority and now in the Senate minority, Zubiri said respecting the rule of law is essential.

“I began my public service as a member of the Minority in the House in 1998, and now I return in my last remaining three years as part of the Senate Minority. But even as we perform our role to question and challenge, we must also know when to yield to the rule of law. That balance is what keeps democracy alive,” he said.