The House committee on justice is holding what is expected to be its final hearing on April 29 into impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, zeroing in on allegations of death threats. The National Bureau of Investigation is set to present findings on Duterte's 2024 statements targeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The panel may vote on probable cause today.
MANILA, Philippines – The House committee on justice, chaired by Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro, is conducting what is expected to be its final public hearing on April 29 into impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. This fourth session focuses on death threats Duterte made during a November 2024 press conference, where she stated she had arranged for someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if anything happened to her.
The National Bureau of Investigation, led by Director Melvin Matibag, is expected to present findings from its probe into those statements. Endorsers of the fourth complaint noted the threats were recorded on video, serving as direct evidence. Duterte has downplayed her remarks as conditional and linked to concerns for her safety.
Beyond the threats, the panel is reviewing allegations of misusing P612.5 million in confidential funds and amassing unexplained wealth, including P6.7 billion in transactions per Anti-Money Laundering Council findings. The committee is also deciding whether to open a sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue box containing tax returns of Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, deferred due to National Internal Revenue Code provisions.
A favorable probable cause vote could lead to a committee report for the plenary as early as May 4, potentially resulting in a second impeachment and Senate trial. Duterte's camp has skipped recent hearings.
