10/06/2025
Garbin Cites SC Ruling on Impeachment Amid Senate Debate
LEGAZPI CITY – June 11, 2025 — Incoming member of the House of Representatives and Legazpi City Mayor Alfredo Garbin Jr. has weighed in on the Senate’s ongoing debate over impeachment rules, citing a 2003 Supreme Court ruling that clarified the process.
Garbin emphasized that impeachment is not a single act but a process with a beginning, middle, and end — all starting in the House of Representatives. Quoting constitutional framer Fr. Joaquin Bernas, he stressed that an impeachment proceeding is initiated once a verified complaint is filed and referred to the Committee on Justice, not when the Senate receives it.
“The House has the exclusive power to initiate all impeachment cases. The Senate only begins its role once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted,” Garbin said.
His statement underscores the House’s constitutional authority as political tension builds around potential impeachment moves.