The House of Representatives has formally initiated impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte after forwarding four verified complaints to the justice committee for deliberation.
The House of Representatives forwarded four verified impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte to the committee on justice yesterday for proper deliberation, formally initiating the proceedings. This action has triggered the one-year bar rule on subsequent impeachment attempts. The complaints were filed by the Makabayan bloc, civil society group Tindig Pilipinas, church and religious groups led by lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, and lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera.
Under the 1987 Constitution, the Vice President may be removed for culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust. In his 58-page complaint, Cabrera stated that Duterte failed to fully disclose certain assets in her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) and may have accumulated unexplained wealth disproportionate to her lawful income.
The House must determine whether the allegations, particularly those involving SALN disclosures and unexplained wealth, meet the constitutional threshold under Article 11. At the justice committee level, a finding of sufficiency in form and substance could lead to deliberations on the merits or transmission to the plenary, where at least 107 votes are needed for a Senate trial.
As the proceedings unfold, House Deputy Speaker and La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V challenged Duterte to address the allegations, especially given her presidential bid. “If you are running (for president), don’t run away (from the issues), face them,” he said, adding that she had ample time, platform, and position to defend herself but chose to remain silent and turn her back.
