By Samantha Yu
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte is once again facing impeachment after the House of Representatives voted decisively to approve a committee report forwarding the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
During Monday’s plenary session, lawmakers approved Committee Report No. 261 following a sponsorship by Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, chair of the House Committee on Justice. After debates and interpellations on the floor, the chamber proceeded to a vote that resulted in 255 affirmative votes, 26 negative votes, and nine abstentions—enough to formally transmit the impeachment case to the upper chamber.
The latest development stems from a series of complaints filed earlier this year between February 2 and February 18. These petitions came from multiple groups, including the Makabayan Coalition, Tindig Pilipinas, a group composed of clergy members and lawyers, and private lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera. Several lawmakers also endorsed the complaints, allowing them to move forward in the legislative process.
The House Committee on Justice began hearings in March to determine whether the complaints were sufficient in form and substance. During these proceedings, two of the four complaints were either set aside or withdrawn, narrowing the focus of the inquiry to the remaining cases that the panel deemed actionable.
As the investigation progressed, the committee conducted a series of hearings and issued subpoenas for documents and testimonies. Lawmakers examined allegations involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds, questionable financial transactions, and possible irregularities in asset declarations.
Officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Council were also called to testify, where they cited hundreds of covered and suspicious transactions linked to Duterte and members of her family, amounting to billions of pesos. These disclosures became a central point in the committee’s evaluation of the complaints.
Separate hearings also looked into allegations involving supposed threats made against key government figures, including the President, the First Lady, and a former House Speaker. These claims were incorporated into the broader assessment of whether there was probable cause to proceed with impeachment.
On April 29, the House justice panel voted to affirm the existence of probable cause, marking a critical step toward the drafting of the committee report. The panel later approved the consolidated findings, which were eventually brought to the plenary for final action.
The approved impeachment articles consolidate multiple accusations against the Vice President, including alleged constitutional violations, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, and claims of bribery and procurement-related irregularities. The report also includes more serious allegations involving threats against top government officials and actions described by complainants as inciting unrest.
With the House vote completed, the articles of impeachment will now be transmitted to the Senate, which is expected to convene as an impeachment court to deliberate on the case in accordance with constitutional procedures.
elami/
