MANILA—In a bold move that heightens the tension between the judiciary and the legislature, high-profile lawyers Ferdinand Topacio, Manuelito Luna, and Harold Respicio have filed a petition for indirect contempt against Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III at the Supreme Court. 

The petitioners, backed by former congressman Jing Paras, argue that Sotto’s recent scathing criticisms of the High Court’s ruling on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte crossed the line from legitimate commentary into a direct assault on the court's integrity. 

The legal group contends that Sotto’s public dismissals of the ruling where he reportedly compared the magistrates to "first-year law students" undermine the public's faith in the nation's highest judicial body.

The controversy stems from Sotto’s vocal opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision to block the initial impeachment trial of the Vice President, a move he previously slammed as "judicial overreach" and an "encroachment" on the powers of Congress. 

As the head of the Senate, Sotto has argued that the judiciary should not dictate the rules for legislative trials, famously declaring that the ruling made impeachment an "impossible dream." 

By bringing this contempt charge, the petitioners are asking the Supreme Court to penalize the Senate leader for what they describe as "disrespectful" and "unacceptable" language, setting the stage for a significant constitutional showdown over the limits of free speech and inter-branch courtesy.

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