House impeaches VP Sara Duterte with 257 votes

By Jose Cielito Reganit, Philippine News Agency

(House of Representatives of the Philippines/facebook)

MANILA – With 257 affirmative votes, 25 in the negative and 9 abstentions, the House of Representatives on Monday voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, approving the House Committee on Justice report transmitting the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate for trial.

The vote far exceeded the 106 votes, or one-third of the constitutional threshold, required to impeach a public official and even surpassed the original 240 lawmakers who backed the first impeachment bid against Duterte in the 19th Congress.

Committee on Justice chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas delivered the opening statement and presented the articles of impeachment against the Vice President.

She said the vote will not be merely about numbers, but about whether the Constitution has been upheld, proper processes were followed, evidence exists and truth is ultimately sought.

“Kapag may mabibigat na pagdududa tungkol sa paggamit ng pera ng bayan, tungkol sa katapatan ng SALN, tungkol sa asal at pananalita ng isang pinuno — hindi maaaring manahimik ang House of Representatives (If there are serious doubts on the utilization of public funds, on the veracity of the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, on the behavior and the manner of speaking of a leader — the House of Representatives cannot remain silent),” Luistro stressed.

“Hindi tayo maaaring magbulag-bulagan. Hindi tayo maaaring matakot. Hindi tayo maaaring maging kasabwat ng katahimikan (We cannot pretend to be deaf. We should not be afraid. We cannot conspire with silence),” she added, describing the impeachment as a matter of moral and constitutional concern.

The approved articles of impeachment contain four major charges against the Vice President, including alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery and grave threats tied to public statements against top government officials.

Article I deals with the alleged systematic misuse, misappropriation and irregular liquidation of PHP612.5 million in confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.

The article cites the compressed disbursement of PHP125 million in late 2022, Commission on Audit disallowances, questionable liquidation reports, National Bureau of Investigation handwriting findings on acknowledgment receipts, Philippine Statistics Authority verification issues involving listed names, and the use of unauthorized intermediaries.

Article II concerns alleged unexplained wealth, SALN discrepancies, and continued business interests during Duterte’s vice presidency. It traces her declared net worth from PHP7,250,497 in 2007 to PHP88,512,370.22 in 2024 against estimated salary earnings of about PHP30 million, and cites PHP6,771,227,712.95 in covered and suspicious transactions reflected in AMLC records involving Duterte and her spouse.

Article III involves alleged bribery and cash payments to Department of Education officials, including allegations involving cash envelopes reportedly received by Gloria Jumamil-Mercado, Resty Osias and Runna Catalan.

Article IV pertains to the alleged assassination plot, grave threats, and inciting to sedition tied to Duterte’s public statements and related acts. Central to the charge was her November 2024 video press conference, where she said she had contracted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

All House members were provided with electronic copies and USB storage devices containing Committee Report No. 261 on House Resolution No. 989, entitled “A Resolution Setting Forth the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte,” along with the attached evidence. The complainants, the respondent and her counsel were likewise furnished with the same materials.

The Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court once the articles of impeachment are transmitted to conduct trial proceedings. A conviction would require a two-thirds vote of all senators, or at least 18 votes.

If a conviction is reached, Duterte would become the first vice president in the Philippines to be impeached, removed from office and disqualified from holding public office, effectively ending her presidential bid for the 2028 elections