215 Lawmakers sign impeachment complaint citing six major allegations, case heads to Senate for trial
More than 200 members of the House of Representatives signed an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, marking a dramatic escalation after over a month of inaction on earlier complaints filed by civil society groups.
During the House plenary session, 215 out of 306 members backed the complaint—more than double the 102 votes required to transmit it to the Senate for trial. The complaint targets Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds, alongside a host of other serious allegations.
According to a statement from the House Secretary General, the impeachment complaint outlines six major allegations against Duterte:
- Conspiracy to Assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez
- Malversation of P612.5 Million in Confidential Funds
- Bribery and Corruption in the Department of Education (DepEd)
- Unexplained Wealth and Failure to Disclose Assets
- Involvement in Extrajudicial Killings Linked to the Davao Death Squad
- Acts of Destabilization, Insurrection, and Incitement of Public Disorder
“This is about upholding the Constitution and ensuring that no public official, regardless of their position, is above the law,” said Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez following the vote.
Vice President Duterte has strongly denied all allegations, dismissing the impeachment efforts as politically motivated attacks tied to her handling of office funds.
Impeachment Prosecutors Named
In line with Section 16, Rule 6 of the Rules of Procedures in Impeachment Proceedings, the House designated the following lawmakers as prosecutors for the trial:
- Rep. Gerville Luistro
- Rep. Romeo Acop
- Rep. Rodge Gutierrez
- Rep. Joel Chua
- Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon
- Rep. Loreto Acharon
- Rep. Marcelino Libanan
- Rep. Arnan Panaligan
- Rep. Isabelle Maria Zamora
- Rep. Lorenz Defensor
- Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores
Duterte will remain in office as the case moves to the Senate, which will sit as an impeachment court should the trial proceed. Senate President Francis Escudero will serve as the presiding officer, unless the President himself is on trial, in which case the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court would preside.
Impeachment Process Under the Constitution
The 1987 Constitution stipulates that if at least one-third of House members sign a verified impeachment complaint, it automatically becomes the Articles of Impeachment to be transmitted to the Senate.
Once received, the Senate will set a schedule to consider the charges. According to Senate rules, the impeachment court will remain in session daily—except on weekends and non-working holidays—until a final verdict is reached.
Senators are required to maintain “political neutrality” throughout the trial, meaning they must deliberate on the case impartially, without regard to party affiliation.
Series of Complaints Filed in 2024
This latest impeachment complaint marks the fourth filed against Duterte in 2024, following a series of earlier efforts:
- First Complaint: Filed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña, it accused Duterte of failing to account for P125 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President in 2022 and leaving P7 billion in unliquidated cash advances from her time as education secretary.
- Second Complaint: Backed by the Makabayan bloc, focused on betrayal of public trust related to the misuse of confidential funds.
- Third Complaint: Filed in December by priests and civil society groups, it alleged that Duterte’s office disbursed millions of pesos within just 11 days without proper documentation. This was endorsed by Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. and AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Colada.
Political Implications Ahead of the 2025 Elections
The impeachment proceedings come just months before the May 2025 midterm elections, which are often viewed as a referendum on the sitting administration. The timing could significantly impact political alliances, as shifts in loyalty are more common leading up to elections than in earlier years of a presidential term.
As the nation watches closely, the outcome of Duterte’s impeachment trial could reshape the country’s political landscape in the months to come.