Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said there is no legal or factual basis for the petition filed against him by the group of lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, calling it a “publicity stunt.”
Topacio and his group on Friday filed an indirect contempt complaint against Sotto following the Senate leader’s criticism of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a statement, Sotto maintained that the complaint has no merit. He said expressing disagreement or criticizing a court decision does not automatically constitute indirect contempt.
Sotto noted that Topacio is a lawyer and should know the distinction. He added that Topacio himself has previously criticized court rulings that did not favor his clients.
According to Sotto, Rule 71 of the Rules of Court states that indirect contempt applies to actions that obstruct or degrade the administration of justice. He said his remarks did not fall under those acts.
He stressed that his statements were within the bounds of freedom of expression and did not interfere with the judiciary’s work.
Sotto said he is ready to respond to the petition if the Supreme Court asks for his comment. He reiterated that his position is based on legal principles and his right to express dissent over a court decision.
