DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/ 11 May 2026)– The House of Representatives has voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.
With 257 members voting in favor, 25 against, and nine abstaining, the Lower House adopted Committee Report No. 261 and House Resolution 989, effectively sending the four Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate.
During her sponsorship speech, Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville R. Luistro, chairperson of the Committee on Justice, emphasized that there was no shortcut in the proceedings conducted by her committee, which ultimately led to the determination of probable cause and the adoption of four Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte for culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust.
Luistro noted that even criticisms and opposition from lawmakers allied with the Vice President were heard during the proceedings.
According to Luistro, Article 1 pertains to the misuse of confidential funds using questionable documents; Article 2 concerns to the transactions and unexplained wealth in Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) compared against her declared income; Article 3 cites the issue of bribery in exchange for influence and favor from officials of the Department of Education; and Articles 4 cites threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Under Article XI, Section 3(3) of the Constitution, a vote of at least one-third of all the Members of the House will be necessary either to affirm a favorable resolution with the Articles of Impeachment of the Committee on Justice, or override its contrary resolution.
During the previous 19th Congress, four impeachment complaints were filed against the Vice President. The first three impeachment complaints were filed in accordance with the first mode of initiating an impeachment complaint by private individuals and various groups on December 2, 4, and 19, 2024, while the fourth one was filed in accordance with the second mode on February 5, 2025, and transmitted to the Senate on the same day as the Articles of Impeachment.
On January 29, 2026, the Supreme Court upheld its July 25, 2025 decision that declared the fourth impeachment complaint unconstitutional for violating due process and the one-year bar rule under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the Constitution.
Lone Dinagat Island Representative Arlene J. Bag-ao said that Duterte should face the allegations hurled against her in the Senate.
“Isip Mindanawon nga dugay na nakasinati og kagubot, kapobrehon, og kalayo sa kaayuhan, kinahanglan karon ang atong pagbarug alang sa hustisya, kalambuan, og atong katungdanan aron panalipdan ang kamaturoan (As Mindanawons, who have long experienced conflict, poverty, and lack of welfare, we must now stand firmly for justice, progress, and it is our responsibility to protect the truth),” she said.
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Representative Leila M. De Lima who endorsed the Rev. Saballa complaint maintained that the impeachment process is not political persecution nor is it partisan activity,but rather a constitutional accountability mechanism.
“We saw evidence of misuse and abuse of confidential funds amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos. We heard testimony regarding questionable disbursments, fictitious identities, liquidation documents with indications of falsehood, and falsification,” she said.
She added that the Committee “examined evidence of unexplained wealth, billions of suspicious and covered transactions that are manifestly disproportionate to the declared and known lawful income, and we confronted deeply disturbing threats and inflammatory rhetoric that target not only ranking public officials but also attack the very heart of our constitutional order.”
This is the second time the House first voted to impeach Duterte. She was first impeached on February 5, 2025 but the proceedings were eventually voided by the Supreme Court in July 2025 due to constitutional technicalities and procedural flaws, effectively halting the Senate trial before it could reach a verdict. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
