Supreme Court Has Not Issued Order to Remove Abante from House

The Supreme Court has not ordered Manila lawmaker Abante’s removal, despite viral claims

Claims that the Supreme Court ordered Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr.’s expulsion from the House of Representatives have been debunked as false. The misleading information, which has gained significant traction on social media with over 25,000 reactions and thousands of shares, contradicts official records showing Abante remains an active member of Congress.

The viral post featured images of Filipino-Chinese businesswoman Cassandra Ong, Vice President Sara Duterte, Supreme Court Spokesperson Camille Ting, and several Supreme Court justices. Its caption ominously suggested a sudden court decision had removed Abante from his position, implying mysterious circumstances around the alleged expulsion.

However, official House records confirm Abante continues to serve as Manila’s 6th District Representative. His recent activities further dispel the claim, as he joined Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega in endorsing the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte on February 18th.

Constitutional experts point out that such an expulsion would be beyond the Supreme Court’s authority. The 1987 Philippine Constitution clearly states in Article VI, Section 16 that each legislative chamber holds “exclusive power to determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all its Members, suspend or expel a Member.”

While the Supreme Court maintains judicial review power to determine if an expulsion violates constitutional provisions, it cannot directly remove a sitting representative. No such review has been conducted in Abante’s case.

Political context may explain why Abante has become the target of disinformation campaigns. He has established himself as a vocal critic of both former President Rodrigo Duterte and current Vice President Sara Duterte. In November 2024, Abante publicly criticized the former president during House quad-committee hearings, holding him accountable for extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s controversial drug war. He also publicly challenged Vice President Duterte in September 2024 for skipping House hearings related to her office’s budget deliberations.

Abante’s political journey has faced its own challenges. He initially lost his congressional seat to rival Luis “Joey” Chua Uy during the 2025 midterm elections. However, the Commission on Elections 2nd Division later annulled Uy’s proclamation due to citizenship issues. On July 8, 2025, Abante was officially proclaimed as the duly elected representative of Manila’s 6th District following the Commission’s issuance of a certificate of finality regarding Uy’s disqualification.

This is not the first instance of false claims targeting public officials with fabricated expulsion stories. Fact-checking organizations have repeatedly identified similar disinformation patterns targeting various politicians, particularly those critical of the previous administration.

Social media users are encouraged to verify information from official sources before sharing potentially misleading content. The spread of such disinformation can undermine public trust in democratic institutions and distort political discourse ahead of important national decisions.

As online platforms continue to serve as primary information sources for many Filipinos, the importance of critical media literacy and fact-checking becomes increasingly vital to maintaining the integrity of public debate and democratic processes.