Four months after filing a motion for reconsideration, the House of Representatives is still awaiting the Supreme Court's decision that voided Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment. Duterte claimed that some House members are drafting a fresh complaint against her using the 2026 budget as a bargaining chip. Representatives denied any discussions and said they are simply waiting for the court's ruling.
In July, the Supreme Court ruled that Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment was void, leading the Senate to archive the articles. The House of Representatives filed a motion for reconsideration four months ago, but no decision has been issued yet. Meanwhile, the Marcos administration has shifted public focus to alleged corruption in flood control projects following a series of storms that caused chest-deep flooding in parts of the country.
Congress launched legislative probes, and the president formed the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, but the effort backfired as lawmakers were implicated and fresh Cabinet resignations occurred. However, some House members insist that holding those behind the kickback scheme accountable does not preclude addressing questions about alleged ghost beneficiaries of Duterte's confidential fund use and bribery.
"Hindi pa sarado 'yung issues of accountability ng ating vice president, kaya in other words, hindi pa po siya lusot," said Rep. Leila de Lima (ML Party-list) on Monday, December 8. She added that many have not forgotten the issues, including the misuse of confidential funds that formed the basis of the original impeachment complaint.
On Monday, Duterte claimed the House is drafting a fresh impeachment complaint against her, using the proposed 2026 budget as a "bargaining chip," repeating allegations from February backed by 215 lawmakers. "The latest pronouncement by some members of the House of Representatives on a new impeachment complaint is not surprising. Its timing reveals a pattern that has become all too familiar," she said, lamenting the lack of investigation into claims that project funding was traded for impeachment endorsements.
Rep. Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers Party-list) said Duterte's statement aims to mislead the public, as she has never provided a concrete explanation for her agencies' confidential fund use. He also heard no discussions on impeachment during the House budget deliberations, which ended with approval in October, and the budget is now with the Senate.
House Public Accounts Committee Chair Terry Ridon stated the chamber is waiting for the Supreme Court to rule on the motion with finality. If resolved against the House, a new complaint may be filed in February under the new Supreme Court guidelines. The Senate has archived the articles pending any change.