THE Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has formally reentered its appearance in the Supreme Court case involving former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, months after it successfully sought permission to withdraw from the proceedings. The development was disclosed by lawyer Israelito Torreon in a social media post, citing newly filed submissions before the High Court.
The legal dispute, docketed as Rodrigo Roa Duterte, et al. vs. Hon. Lucas Bersamin, et al., originated from a petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by Torreon and his legal team on March 11, 2025.
The petition challenges certain actions attributed to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and other government officials. Along with the petition, Torreon’s camp sought the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), which the Supreme Court denied in a Resolution dated March 12.
Following the denial of the TRO, the Supreme Court directed the OSG to submit its comment on the petition within a non-extendible period of ten days, or until March 24. On the same day of the deadline, the OSG filed a Manifestation and Motion informing the Court that it was seeking to recuse itself from the case and asking that its recusal be “noted and/or favorably considered.”
The request was later granted by the Supreme Court through a Resolution issued on April 2, 2025, officially relieving the OSG from representing the respondents in the meantime. With the OSG recused, the Department of Justice (DOJ) temporarily stepped in and filed the required comment on March 28.
The situation shifted again in November 2025 when the Supreme Court issued another directive, this time ordering the respondents to answer the petitioners’ Very Urgent Manifestation, which included a renewed plea for temporary relief. The DOJ received the Court’s Resolution on November 20 and, five days later, referred the matter back to the OSG for appropriate action, signaling that primary responsibility for the case was returning to the government’s principal legal counsel.
On December 1, the OSG formally notified the Supreme Court that it was reentering its appearance as counsel for all respondents. The agency also requested to be furnished copies of all related issuances and submissions, marking its full reinstatement in the proceedings after several months of disengagement.
Confirming the development, Torreon wrote in a social media update: “After previously recusing itself, the OSG has now entered an appearance again in the case against Tatay Digong and Senator Bato Dela Rosa.” DEF