00:00Today on Rappler
00:06The Supreme Court blocks current impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
00:18Lawmakers and Sara Duterte's lawyers react to the Supreme Court's decision voiding her impeachment.
00:23A group says the zero-tariff rate on the U.S.'s wheat and soy imports won't hurt local industries.
00:31France says it will recognize the Palestinian state at the U.N. in September.
00:36And professional wrestler Hulk Hogan passes away at the age of 71.
00:43The Supreme Court bars the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte
00:48but did not close the possibility of refiling a year later or in February 2026.
00:54Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting says it was based on due process grounds.
01:00Ting says in a briefing,
01:01The SC has ruled that the House impeachment complaint versus VP Sara Duterte
01:05is barred by the one-year rule and that due process or fairness applies in all stages of the impeachment process.
01:12She adds,
01:13Our fundamental law is clear. The end does not justify the means.
01:18There is a right way to do the right things at the right time.
01:21Quoting the decision, which was unanimous.
01:23There were four impeachment complaints against Duterte in the House of Representatives.
01:27The first three did not materialize and she was impeached on the fourth.
01:32In her petition, Duterte argued that the one-year bar rule was violated because House Secretary General Reginald Velasco
01:38did not immediately forward the verified complaints to the Speaker as required by House rules.
01:44The Supreme Court said the first three complaints allegedly triggered the one-year bar rule,
01:49so the fourth complaint, which led to her impeachment, was invalid.
01:53The High Court declared the Articles of Impeachment unconstitutional on due process grounds
01:57and added that because of that, the Senate cannot acquire jurisdiction of the proceedings.
02:01The 1987 Constitution includes a one-year bar rule, which says,
02:07impeachment proceedings cannot be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year.
02:12The House of Representatives reacts to the High Court's decision to avoid the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte Friday, July 25.
02:23In a statement, it says,
02:25to allow judicial interference in the initiation of this process risks undermining the very principle of checks and balances.
02:32We respect the Supreme Court, but our constitutional duty to uphold truth does not end here.
02:38Aqbayin Representative Percy Sendanya did not mince words.
02:41Nireduce ng Supreme Court ang kanyang sarili bilang Supreme Cuddler of the Philippines.
02:48The dismissal of the impeachment sets a dangerous precedent.
02:52Mamamayang Liberal Representative Laila de Lima says,
02:56I respect the Supreme Court, but in a case of this magnitude, transcendental constitutional importance,
03:03we must demand clarity, not shortcuts.
03:07Naniniwala ako na dapat matuloy yung impeachment trial.
03:10Yung mandato, tungkulin at kapangirihan na nakasaad sa saligang batas ay nasa Senado at walang iba.
03:17But the Senate Impeachment Court says it will toe the line.
03:20In a statement, it says it is, quote-unquote,
03:23duty-bound to respect the Supreme Court's decision to bar impeachment proceedings against Duterte for one year, citing due process.
03:32It adds,
03:32Duterte's defense team, meantime, welcomes the decision.
03:40The lawyer say Friday, July 25,
03:43The decision of the Honorable Court affirms what we had maintained from the outset,
03:47that the fourth impeachment complaint is constitutionally infirm.
03:51The House did not act on three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte in December 2024.
03:57The fourth complaint, filed on February 5, led to her impeachment.
04:01The vice president herself raised the issue before the Supreme Court,
04:06arguing the House violated the Constitution's one-year bar rule.
04:11The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food says the zero tariff rate on the United States' wheat and soy imports
04:17will not result in significant damage to local industries as these are not locally produced goods.
04:24PCAFI says the deal could even make animal feeds cheaper.
04:27But Raul Montemayor of the Federation of Free Farmers warns that local farmers might still be affected
04:33since imported soy and wheat could replace local products.
04:37Montemayor calls for full transparency on the trade talks,
04:41including any other promises the Philippines may have made.
04:44Meanwhile, Frederick Goh, special assistant to the president for investment and economic affairs,
04:49said in the July 24 Malacanang briefing that rice, sugar, corn, chicken, and pork were not part of the deal.
04:55Despite calling it a positive development, PCAFI says it still hopes U.S. tariffs can be lowered more.
05:04President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. secured a 19% tariff rate on Philippine exports to the U.S.
05:09during his visit to Washington, one percentage point lower than the 20% rate set to begin on August 1.
05:16However, it's still slightly higher than the 17% rate announced by Trump in April.
05:21France's President Emmanuel Macron says the country intends to recognize a Palestinian state
05:28at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
05:32He hopes it will bring peace to the region, but drew an immediate rebuke from Israel.
05:36Macron says in a post-quote,
05:38The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and to bring relief to the civilian population.
05:43Peace is possible.
05:44The announcement sparked anger from Israel and is likely to get a tough response from Washington.
05:51Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemns Macron's decision,
05:55saying such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy.
06:00United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the country strongly rejects the plan of Macron.
06:06Meantime, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney also pressed Israel to seek peace.
06:10He also reiterates Canada's support for a two-state solution in the region.
06:17Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan passed away at the age of 71.
06:21Hogan, the American sports and entertainment star, made professional wrestling a global phenomenon.
06:27WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away.
06:32One of pop culture's most recognizable figures,
06:35Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s.
06:38Hogan reportedly died due to cardiac arrest at his residence on Thursday morning.
06:46Meantime, American two-time Grammy-winning jazz flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione passed away this week at the age of 84.
06:53He is best known for his 1970s crossover hit, Feel So Good,
06:57which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammys.
07:02Mangione won two Grammys out of 14 nominations,
07:06the first in 1977 for Best Instrumental Composition for Bellavia,
07:10and in 1979, he won in the Best Pop Instrumental Performance category for The Children of Sanchez.
07:32He's president
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