MANILA – The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte asked the Supreme Court to halt the ongoing impeachment trial before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court, while questioning the validity of Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s designation as presiding officer.

In a 16-page “very urgent manifestation with motion” filed by lawyer Israelito Torreon, Duterte’s camp sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO), a status quo ante order, or other interim relief to suspend the proceedings pending the resolution of constitutional issues surrounding Escudero’s authority to preside over the trial.

“Petitioners thus respectfully submit that a temporary restraining order, status quo ante order, or other appropriate interim relief is warranted to ensure that the impeachment trial proceeds, if at all, only under a presiding officer whose authority to preside is not under serious and unresolved constitutional challenge,” the pleading read.

“Unless immediately restrained, the impeachment court will continue acting under rules, and a presiding officer whose validity depends on proceedings already challenged as unconstitutional,” it added.

The filing forms part of consolidated petitions before the Supreme Court, one of which lists Duterte as a petitioner.

In an earlier petition received by the high court on Jan. 6, Duterte’s camp likewise sought to suspend the impeachment proceedings while the constitutional question on the authority of the presiding officer remains unresolved.

“At the very least, the Court should preserve the status quo and restrain further trial proceedings until the antecedent constitutional question concerning the authority of the presiding officer is resolved,” the earlier petition stated.

“Otherwise, constitutional review may be reduced to an after-the-fact pronouncement on proceedings that have already moved forward under a cloud of illegality,” it added.