No SC ruling but on oblique contempt case in opposition to Sotto

Sotto has not been ordered arrested, opposite to the declare; the oblique contempt petition was filed in opposition to Sotto on February 13 and no SC resolution has been issued

Declare: Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III has been convicted and jailed following a Supreme Courtroom (SC) ruling on his oblique contempt case.

Score: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: On February 14, the YouTube channel “Pinas Information Perception” uploaded two movies carrying the declare.

The primary was titled: “Huge information! Bilis ng karma! Sotto sobrang napahiya, Korte kumilos na, naglabas ng ultimatum sa Senado?”

(Huge information! Karma is swift! Sotto deeply humiliated, the Courtroom acted and issued an ultimatum to the Senate?)

The second video was titled, “Simply in: Kakapasok lang! SP Sotto kinakarma matapos bastusin ang korte?”

(Simply in! Senate President Sotto faces karma after disrespecting the Courtroom?)

Each movies, posted a day after an oblique contempt petition was filed in opposition to Sotto earlier than the SC, pushed the identical narrative, with thumbnails stating: “Hinatulan si Sotto, yare! Korte kumilos na, tinapos si Sotto? Bilis ng karma” (Sotto convicted, it’s over! Courtroom acted, Sotto completed?) and “Kulong si Sotto? Kaso sinampa na, nasampolan sa korte? Iyak ka ngayon” (Sotto jailed? Case filed, made an instance in court docket? Cry now.)

The feedback part reveals that many viewers appeared to imagine the declare, with some praising the SC for the supposed ruling and others calling for Sotto’s arrest.

As of writing, the 2 movies have amassed greater than 59,000 views and three,100 likes mixed. 

The information: Whereas a petition in search of to have Sotto cited in oblique contempt has been filed with the Excessive Courtroom, the SC has not but issued any ruling on the matter.

On February 13, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio and different petitioners requested the SC to quote Sotto in oblique contempt after his public criticism of the Courtroom’s resolution to declare the articles of impeachment in opposition to Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional.

Nevertheless, the Courtroom has not given the petition due course. The movies’ titles and thumbnails reframe the submitting of the petition because the ruling, which isn’t the case. The submitting of a petition solely initiates proceedings and doesn’t quantity to a discovering of guilt.

Foundation for the criticism: On January 29, the Supreme Courtroom denied with finality the movement for reconsideration filed by the Home of Representatives, which sought to reverse the SC’s 2025 resolution that discovered the impeachment criticism in opposition to the Vice President as having violated the one‑yr bar rule below Article XI, Part 3(5) of the Structure.

Sotto described the ruling as “judicial overreach” and characterised the prospect of impeaching an official as an “unimaginable dream.” These remarks later served as the premise for the contempt petition in opposition to him, with the petitioners saying Sotto’s statements went past legit commentary and undermined the Excessive Courtroom’s credibility.

The Senate president, nonetheless, has dismissed the oblique contempt petition in opposition to him as a “nuisance go well with” and a “publicity stunt,” questioning Topacio’s motives in submitting the case. 

In response, Topacio issued an announcement branding Sotto because the “actual nuisance,” accusing him of tarnishing the Senate’s repute and eroding the precept of comity amongst authorities branches.  

Truth-checked: Rappler has debunked a number of false claims about Sotto, together with allegations that he had been faraway from his put up as Senate president:

– Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Jap Samar who graduated with a level in English Language Research on the Visayas State College. Cyril can be a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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