25 more lawmakers want to join as complainants vs. VP Sara

By Filane Mikee Cervantes, Philippine News Agency

ADJOURNED. Speaker Martin Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan and other lawmakers join for a group photo following the adjournment of sessions at the plenary hall of the House of Representatives on Wednesday night (Feb. 5, 2025). Before adjourning the session, the House endorsed to the Senate the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte with the signature of 215 House members. (Photo courtesy of the House Press and Public Affairs Bureau)

MANILA – Twenty-five additional lawmakers have expressed their intent to join the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, according to leaders of the House of Representatives.

In a press conference on Thursday, Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong confirmed that the additional 25 lawmakers, previously abroad or in their districts, had submitted verification to sign the complaint.

If the process permits the acceptance of additional complainants, the total number of endorsers will rise from 215 to 240, representing more than 75 percent of the House’s 306 members.

Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor credited party consultations across major political groups, including Lakas-CMD, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), National Unity Party (NUP), and Nacionalista Party (NP), for unifying support for the fourth impeachment complaint against the Vice President.

“There were party consultations and considering that there were three previous impeachment complaints filed, nakabuo ng mas matatag at mas klarong impeachment complaint na nakakuha ng suporta at kumpiyansa ng mga congressman (we were able to come up with a stronger and clearer impeachment complaint that gained the support and confidence of lawmakers),” Defensor said.

He noted that the strength of the case itself gained the supermajority’s support.

“That is why with this fourth impeachment complaint, where the evidence is presented in a stronger manner, it gave confidence to more than 200 or 215 congressmen to act as complainants,” Defensor said.

1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodrigo Gutierrez said earlier impeachment complaints lacked momentum but the fourth filing garnered consensus.

“Admittedly, it’s a long time coming po. We each congressman, although we’ve talked about impeachment, we’ve already formed opinions from the hearings of the Quad Comm and the Good Government committees,” Gutierrez said.

“But the first three (impeachment complaints) did not gather consensus, it did not gather the momentum needed.”

No financial incentives

Gutierrez, meanwhile, denied allegations that lawmakers were given financial incentives or “ayuda” in exchange for their signatures.

He said overwhelming support for the complaint was based on the merits of the case.

“We categorically deny such allegations,” Gutierrez said. “This was an independent action. We believe it was done faithfully and truthfully by each member.”

Adiong called the claims a “smear campaign” designed to discredit the impeachment process, as he urged the public to focus on the legal merits of the case.

“Ito po’y nagsimula na po ang smear campaign sa prosesong ito (The smear campaign against this process has begun),” he said. “Huwag ho tayong madadala sa ganitong klaseng fake news kasi ito ay paraan para ilihis kung ano po ang talagang merits nitong prosesong ito (Let us not be swayed by such fake news because this is just a way to divert attention from the true merits of this process).

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The House is also preparing for an information campaign to educate the public on the impeachment process, Defensor said, adding that preparations for an impeachment trial were also underway.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, said they are ready for whatever decision the Senate would make regarding the impeachment trial.

“If ever the Senate does indeed interpret that they could proceed with trial as early as March, we will be ready. If they decide that it will continue after June 2, we will be even more ready,” he said.