The Vice President and her legal counsel filed two separate petitions at the SC two weeks ago seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the House Committee on Justice hearings, citing “grave abuse of discretion” in its procedure and a violation of the one-year ban rule.

The SC’s response is to ask the House of Representatives to comment on the petitions within ten days from receipt of notice.

With that statement, Representative Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list, a member of the Committee on Justice, said the schedule of impeachment hearings will go as planned, and he expects the Vice President to attend the as they had invited her.

“See you on April 14,” Ridon said in his X(Twitter) account.

The House committee had begun its hearings last March 25,and will continue on April 14, 22 and 29.

Ridon’s declaration rebuffs the claims of pro-Duterte political bloggers who claimed that the SC has stopped the whole impeachment process.

Constitutional

House leaders earlier maintained that the impeachment process has adhered to constitutional procedures and internal rules, stressing that the Committee on Justice has the mandate to evaluate the sufficiency of the complaint.

The committee will be hearing testimonies and evidences on April 14, particularly from Ramil Madriaga, the alleged security officer and bagman of the Vice President who confessed to be involved in the alleged distribution of confidential funds.

Legal experts have also noted that impeachment is a political process vested in Congress, with judicial intervention generally limited unless there is a clear showing of grave abuse of discretion.

Following the Court’s refusal to issue a TRO, members of the Makabayan bloc said the ruling affirms the independence of the impeachment process.

Sara desperate

“The impeachment proceedings have followed established rules and due process at every step,” said Makabayan members ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio,  Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co.

They described Duterte’s TRO petition as a “desperate bid to evade accountability and derail the constitutional process.”

“The attempt to block accountability is blatant. The effort to torpedo the process before the full truth emerges is brazen,” the bloc said.

They added that the Supreme Court “should not be used as a refuge to evade accountability,” warning that “technicalities should not be used as a shield to deny justice and truth,” and that “the hearings must proceed and the evidence must be laid out.”

Duterte’s camp had argued that judicial intervention was necessary to address alleged legal issues in the impeachment proceedings. However, the Court’s move signals that it will not, at this point, interrupt the House-led process.

The Makabayan bloc urged both the Supreme Court and House leadership to uphold the integrity of the proceedings, emphasizing that impeachment is a constitutional mechanism for holding high-ranking officials accountable.

With the TRO bid denied, lawmakers are expected to continue deliberations on the impeachment complaints filed by civil society groups, lawyers and religious groups against Duterte, whom they accused of corruption of confidential funds, bribery and failure to disclose personal assets. 

Duterte was voted to be impeached by the House last year on the same grounds, but the SC overturned this vote citing the one-year ban violation and procedural concerns.(davaotoday.com)

Lariosa, a 63-year-old organizer affiliated with the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), was last seen on April 10, 2024 in a plantation village in Barangay Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon.  Eyewitness told family members that Lariosa was forcibly taken during a military operation.

The 48th Infantry Battalion that conducted the operation had denied knowledge and custody of Lariosa.

Courts have also denied the family’s petition to compel the military to surface Lariosa, saying their claim was based on hearsay.

READ: https://davaotoday.com/human-rights/a-familys-search-for-an-abducted-union-organizer/

The family gathered in a rally last April 9 at Davao City’s Freedom Park with the Surface Willian Lariosa Network.  Marklen, Lariosa’s son, spoke in the rally saying that in the past two years, the family remain steadfast in finding the truth, urging authorities to surface his father and reveal the truth about his disappearance.

Marklen said that the loss of his father is beyond personal as he points out that enforced disappearances of activists and rights defenders have haunted other families.

“Our father’s disappearance is not only a personal pain, but a violation of human rights—a crime that should not be forgotten. Enforced disappearance is a case where a person is deprived of the right to live, the right to security, and the right to freedom,” he said .

“We are not the only victims. There are many families like us who are suffering, and despite the pain we are going through, we will not stop searching for him and for justice,” he added.

Rights group Karapatan showed that there are at least 14 cases of enforced disappearances of activists in the country from July 2022 — the start of the Marcos Jr. administration — to November 2025.

Labor unions and human rights groups stressed that the persistence of such cases points to gaps in accountability and protection of marginalized sectors, particularly in areas marked by militarization and agrarian conflict.(davaotoday.com)

Jesus was branded a rebel, condemned by both religious elites and imperial authorities, because he refused to accept the oppressive and exploitative status quo. His death reveals the cost of siding with the marginalized and resisting systems of domination. In the Philippines today, this message resonates deeply, as those who advocate for justice and reform are often vilified, red-tagged, or silenced. 

Jesus as a Rebel Against Oppression

As a biblical witness, in Luke 4:18–19, Jesus declares his mission: “to proclaim good news to the poor… freedom for the oppressed.” This sets the tone for a ministry that consistently disrupted the status quo. 

His acts of solidarity: He healed the sick (Matthew 14:14), welcomed outcasts (Luke 15), and condemned religious hypocrisy (Matthew 23:23). These actions positioned him against both religious elites and imperial power. 

The Parables of justice: The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) and the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31–46) emphasize care for the marginalized, underscoring his radical ethic of solidarity. 

Scholarly Reflections

A search on scholarly works would lead us to the reflection of Jesus as social justice figure: Scholars such as John Dominic Crossan argue that Jesus’ teachings align with modern justice movements, describing him as a radical who rejected hierarchies and prioritized inclusivity over ritual and power. 

Then there is the Liberation Theology lived by the likes of prominent figures like Gustavo Gutiérrez and a number of Filipino theologians I have known in the social movement . They highlight that Jesus’ siding with the poor mirrors modern struggles for justice, where activists are often vilified as “terrorists” or “subversives.” 

Jesus Christ’s insistence on compassion and justice represented a departure from first-century norms, challenging both Jewish and Roman structures. 

Contemporary Philippine Parallels

Red-tagging and persecution: Much like Jesus was accused of sedition, Filipino activists, community organizers, and even church workers are often red-tagged—branded as rebels or terrorists—simply for defending the poor, indigenous peoples, or the environment.

Lumad schools: Indigenous community schools in Mindanao, built to empower Lumad children with culturally rooted education, have been shut down or militarized. Their teachers and advocates are accused of subversion, echoing how Jesus was condemned for empowering the marginalized. 

Struggles for land and dignity: Farmers in Hacienda Luisita and fisherfolk in coastal communities continue to fight for land reform and food sovereignty. Their struggle mirrors the biblical call to justice and Jesus’ defense of the poor. 

Women’s rights:  Advocates gender justice and reproductive rights and freedom face vilification, yet their work reflects Christ’s solidarity with those denied dignity and agency. 

Environmental defense: Filipino environmental defenders—such as those protecting Palawan and Mindoro’s forests or opposing destructive mining in Mindanao—risk their lives to safeguard creation. Their courage resonates with Jesus’ ethic of stewardship and his confrontation of exploitative powers. 

The Cost of Prophetic Witness

Branded a rebel: Jesus was executed by the Roman state under charges akin to sedition. His refusal to conform to oppressive systems made him dangerous to both empire and religious authorities. 

There are modern echoes: Today, activists who challenge exploitation—whether in labor, land rights, women’s rights or children’s rights—are often labeled “terrorists.” This mirrors how Jesus was treated for siding with the oppressed. 

As a theological insight, true discipleship means embracing this tension—working for justice even when society demonizes such efforts. As Micah 6:8 reminds us: “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

Jesus’ death is not only about salvation but also about the cost of resisting oppression. His crucifixion reveals how systems of power respond to those who disrupt exploitation. To follow Christ today in the Philippines means standing with the marginalized—farmers, workers, women, indigenous peoples, and environmental defenders—even if it means being misunderstood, vilified, or persecuted. 

In essence, Jesus was executed because he refused to accept the oppressive status quo. His solidarity with the poor and marginalized remains a model for modern struggles for justice—reminding us that faith without justice is empty, and justice without courage is impossible.(davaotoday.com)

The incident was uploaded on social media and went viral, prompting Artadi to make a short video statement to explain what happened.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Li8R43eMa

“At that moment,  I was paying tribute  to… a very important person in our band who is no longer with us… to Mon Legaspi. And  a couple of people  chose that moment to try and separate people. That was bastos (rude). Simple as that.  It was bastos,” he said in his video.

The viral video clip showed Artadi talking about their late bandmate, bassist Mon Legaspi, who died of cardiac arrest on October 3, 2022 at the age of 54.

Artadi was paying tribute to Legaspi before playing one of his compositions Anino, but was interrupted a couple of times by a heckler who shouted political slogans such as “F** you, BBM!”

The vocalist calmly responded:  “We don’t give a s** about that tonight, man. We’re just here to make you forget about that s** tonight. You wanna do your freedom of speech? Go out in the hallway and do it there. Right here, it’s rock and roll country, man.”  His remark was cheered by the audience.

But the heckler interrupted Artadi again, prompting him to ask security to throw the heckler out of the venue, saying “Get that f—- guy out of here”, drawing cheers from the audience who jeered at the heckler, “Uwi! Uwi! (Go home!)”

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1NhApSHVdr

The 52-year old Artadi also addressed the public to refrain from turning the video into their political views.

“Speaking of bastos,  everybody that’s now spreading this and making it into something that it isn’t and whatever, and it’s a political thing now and this and that,  you’re just separating us some more  and you are making one bastos again,  every time,” he said.

The Wolfgang frontman then explained his side on how social media is causing divide among the people.

“All this online sh** is designed to separate us and make us hate each other.  We should love each other. Us.  The people should love each other. Because at the end of the day,  we are the ones who will help ourselves,  not the politicos, because the politicos  will take care of themselves,” he said. 

Artadi ended his video message saying he will throw support to any candidate who “will put  the Filipina people and the country above themselves  and getting rich  and all of that.”

Wolfgang is one of the top Filipino rock bands emerging from the surge of Pinoy Rock in the 1990s.  They have won multiple awards, produced six albums, which include releases in Japan and the United States.  The group split up in 2002, reformed in 2007 then went into hiatus before launching their reunion tour this year.(davaotoday.com)

The parade, which began at 6:00 am with 35,000 participants marching from Roxas Avenue to San Pedro Square, was paused at times as the event’s hosts recognized Duterte allies in the crowd and invited them to deliver their “short messages of solidarity.”
 

Among those who delivered messages were former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, former Comelec commissioner Rowena Guanzon, lawyers Ferdinand Topacio, and Harold Respicio, former Duterte Youth leader Ronald Cardema, House Representatives Leandro Leviste and Kiko Barzaga, and Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go.
 

Their extended speeches — tackling issues ranging from former President Rodrigo Duterte’s case before the International Criminal Court, support for Vice President Sara Duterte on her impeachment case, and criticisms against President Marcos Jr — caused delays in the parade, forcing contingents to wait under the heat before the procession continued. 

Weather trackers online showed yesterday’s weather peaked around 10 am to 12 noon around 31 Celsius.

Former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo was also in attendance but did not speak.  He moved out from the VIP area to mingle with the spectators.

The strong presence of Duterte allies in Davao City was again turned into a political statement that Davao City remains the family’s stronghold.   After the Parada, a Solidarity Walk was launched in the late afternoon, celebrating the 81st birthday of former President Duterte, who has been detained at the ICC a year ago facing charges of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s war on drugs.

During the Solidarity Walk rally, Duterte’s close friend, former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea cut off his speech and was taken by medics off the stage for an undisclosed medical situation.

While most Davawenyos celebrated this two occasions, Duterte critics in Davao see this as “hijacking” by political forces of an event intended to celebrate Davao City’s founding anniversary.

“it is quite disappointing that the supposedly festive celebration of Araw ng Davao seems hijacked by political forces,” said XL Fuentes, convener of the Stop Corruption Alliance in Davao.  “These political forces, who have this bad habit of politicking, when cornered for accountability will cry foul and conveniently act as victims of ‘political persecution’,” he added.

Development worker and former DSWD Usec Professor Mae Ancheta Templa chided how the Parada’s date was reset near Duterte’s birthday, which should be restored to March 16, the city’s charter date.  
 

Some netizens also expressed their disappointment, saying, “Araw ng Dabaw used to be a celebration of Davao’s diversity. Now, the event has become a platform for political dynasties, inept officials, and personalities with vested interests,” said one post from a netizen who requested anonymity.

Another netizen pointed out these political allies barely get media attention except for controversies.

Topacio is facing disbarment over his sexist remarks. Leviste drew controversy for meddling in the DSWD Cabral files.  Barzaga has been suspended for his social media statements against the administration.  Cardema’s party-list has been barred for misrepresentation and red-tagging.  Guanzon is criticized for aligning with the Dutertes whom she criticized in the past. (davaotoday.com)