The Tamesis
March 5, 2026
Manila – The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday declared the third and fourth impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte substantively sufficient, allowing the proceedings to move forward.
During the panel’s hearing, 54 lawmakers voted to declare the third and fourth complaints respectively sufficient, while only one voted against both motions, Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay, and none abstained.
The third impeachment complaint, filed by clergy and lawyers led by Catholic priest Joel Sabara, cited six grounds:
- Alleged violations of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other felonies in the assembling and conversion of over P500 million in confidential funds (CF) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- Alleged misuse of at least P112.5 million confidential funds allocated to Department of Education (DepEd) for 2023
- Suspected of corruption and bribery of Ministry of Education officials
- Suspected of murdering or assassinating the President, First Lady and former Speaker of the House of Representatives
- Alleged lack of wealth and failure to fully disclose assets in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)
- Alleged acts of political instability, including sedition and rebellion
Meanwhile, a fourth impeachment complaint filed by attorney Nathaniel Cabrera raised seven grounds:
- Suspected of assassination plot, sedition and subversion of constitutional order
- Alleged betrayal of public trust and bribery for misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds
- Command responsibility in connection with suspected corruption, bribery, procurement irregularities and payments of public funds to unauthorized recipients
- Alleged bribery and procurement irregularities involving monetary gifts to Ministry of Education officials
- Alleged unexplained wealth and SALN breaches, including issues involving bank records and financial forensics
- Alleged abuse, threats, incitement and interference with civilian supremacy
- Pattern of alleged abuse and cumulative misconduct
After the vote, committee vice chairwoman and San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora issued a notice directing Duterte to respond to the impeachment complaint.
“Given the substantive substance of the two impeachment complaints, I have decided to issue a notice to the Vice President…requiring him to submit a response within 10 calendar days of receipt of the notice,” Zamora said.
The motion was approved by committee chairman and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro.
Next steps
Under the House’s procedural rules for impeachment proceedings, the committee must provide a copy to the defendant once it deems the substance of the complaint sufficient.
The Vice President has 10 calendar days after receipt of the notice to submit a response.
Thereafter, the complainant has three days to file a response. Duterte may file a rebuttal within three days of receiving the reply.
Both parties must file affidavits or counter-affidavits along with documentary evidence in the pleading.
The committee will then hold a hearing and must submit a report and recommendations to the House of Representatives within 60 sitting days of submitting the verified complaint.
The report will include a formal resolution on the handling of the complaint, which must be scheduled for consideration by the full House of Representatives within 10 sitting days of receipt.
The committee’s recommendations require a vote of one-third of the full House of Representatives to approve – either to impeach the official or to dismiss the complaint.
If the House votes to impeach, the case will be transferred to the Senate for trial.
Other impeachment complaints
Initially, four impeachment charges were filed against Duterte.
However, the second complaint filed by a group led by Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Kiko Aquino Dee was withdrawn after the complainants decided to support the third complaint to expedite the proceedings.
The first complaint, filed by the Makabayan Coalition, was dismissed by the committee in a 22-10 vote for alleged violation of the one-year bar rule.
The third complaint was supported by Mamayan Liberal Party Rep. Leila de Lima, while Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. supported the fourth complaint. /decimeter
