MANILA — The House prosecution panel on Thursday said the Supreme Court’s dismissal of petitions questioning the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte has removed procedural issues surrounding the case and allows the Senate impeachment court to proceed with the trial on its merits.

Lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro welcomed the high court’s decision, saying it affirmed the constitutional powers of the House of Representatives and the Senate in impeachment proceedings.

The petitions had questioned the House Committee on Justice’s handling of the impeachment complaints, alleging that it conducted a “mini-trial,” engaged in a fishing expedition, prejudged the complaints before the clarificatory hearing, violated the Constitution’s one-year bar rule, and acted on an invalid referral from the House plenary.

According to Luistro, the ruling reinforces the House’s exclusive authority to initiate impeachment cases and the Senate’s exclusive authority to hear and decide them.

“Nais ko pong liwanagin na ito po’y bilang pagpapatibay sa exclusive power ng House of Representatives to initiate all cases of impeachment. At ganoon din, isang pagpapatibay sa exclusive power naman ng Senado to try and decide all impeachment cases,” Luistro said during an online press briefing.

The Supreme Court dismissed the consolidated petitions on the ground of mootness after the House had approved and transmitted the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, where the trial is now ongoing.

Luistro said the ruling should put an end to the constitutional questions raised against the House Committee on Justice.

“I hope that with this decision of the Supreme Court, sana natapos na ’yung mga issues na ibinabato kaugnay ng naging proceeding ng Justice Committee,” she said.

She also expressed hope that the same issues would no longer be raised when the impeachment trial resumes on Monday.

“Ito po ay bilang pagpapatibay na kailangan ituloy na itong nangyayaring pagdinig, pagdilitis sa impeachment court,” Luistro said.

House prosecution legal spokesperson and counsel Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. said the ruling confirms that the Senate impeachment court is now the proper venue for Duterte to respond to the allegations against her.

“So let us be very precise about what this is and what it is not,” Tolosa said.

“This is not yet a judgment on the guilt or innocence of the Vice President. It’s not a ruling on the merits of the issues which are now before the impeachment court.”

Tolosa said the petitions were dismissed because the actions sought to be restrained had already been completed after the House transmitted the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.

“So what’s clear now is that the proper forum is now the impeachment court,” he said.

He added that efforts to stop the impeachment proceedings through the Supreme Court had failed.

“Nakita natin, sinubukan nila na pigilan ang pagtakbo ng proseso sa Supreme Court. Ngayon maliwanag na those did not become successful. Nasa Senado na ang kaso, dito na po sila sumagot ngayon,” Tolosa said.

Luistro thanked the Supreme Court for upholding the constitutional powers of both chambers of Congress and said the ruling reflects the continued observance of democracy and the rule of law.

“So I must say, perhaps, congratulations sa sambayanang Pilipino sapagkat napagtagumpayan po natin ang mandato na iniatang sa House of Representatives,” Luistro said.

Tolosa also said the Vice President should now answer the allegations before the impeachment court.

“If the Vice President has answers, she must present them here before the impeachment court. If she has evidence, she must show it here.”