The House of Representatives is ready to receive and act on any impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte starting February 6, public accounts committee chair Terry Ridon said. This follows the Supreme Court's decision clarifying notice requirements for the express route of impeachment filing. The court's one-year bar rule against Duterte lapses on that date.
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is prepared to proceed under the Constitution and House rules while complying with the Supreme Court's clarified notice requirements on the so-called express route of impeachment filing, public accounts committee chair Terry Ridon said. "We respect the decision of the Supreme Court in this matter. But, we want to make it clear that on Feb. 6, Congress is ready to accept and hear all new complaints against VP Sara Duterte," Ridon said during the Saturday forum.
In resolving the House's motion for reconsideration, the Supreme Court effectively removed the restrictive due process requirements imposed in its earlier decision, particularly those requiring advance notice and copies of evidence to be furnished to impeachable officers at the filing stage. "The Supreme Court back-pedalled from their restrictive due process requirements in their original decision where they are requiring to give the respondent impeachable officers the chance to answer and have copy of the evidence. It is no longer in the resolution for the motion for reconsideration," Ridon clarified.
The High Court's modification now places the documentary 'notice' burden on House members who move through the express or one-third route: they must have a copy of the draft impeachment complaint and all accompanying evidence. Additionally, all members in plenary deliberations under this route should have copies of the articles of impeachment and evidence.
For his part, good government and public accountability committee chair and Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua said House members will comply with the ruling but reserve disagreement on portions that intrude on internal rules. "When it comes to the substance, they did not mention it here. So, it is still good and very interesting because until now the content of the impeachment complaint has not been resolved yet," Chua noted. Ridon agreed, emphasizing that the Supreme Court's decision focused on technical and procedural questions, not the substantive allegations.
Among the bases for the impeachment raps were aliases of confidential fund recipients, including 'Mary Grace Piattos,' which drew public curiosity and ridicule. Last year, House deputy speaker and Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun revealed that Piattos allegedly received the largest share of confidential funds disbursed by the Office of the Vice President in December 2022. The controversy involved 158 acknowledgment receipts for P125 million allegedly spent in 11 days. During the 19th Congress, the House committee investigated how the OVP and Department of Education handled P612.5 million in confidential funds across 2022 and 2023, when Duterte served as both vice president and education secretary.
