The Philippine House of Representatives’ Justice Committee announced on Monday that two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte formally meet procedural requirements and can proceed, while one complaint was set aside and another was allowed to be withdrawn.
The committee separately reviewed complaints filed by Father Jose Sabala and others, and by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera, both of which conformed to the formal requirements of the House’s rules.
Committee Chair, Batangas Representative Jervil Luisito, announced: “The third impeachment complaint, which is the complaint filed by Sabala and others, meets the formal requirements and is hereby accepted.” This complaint is supported by Liberal People’s Party (Liberal People’s Party-list) Representative Leila de Lima.
The committee also approved the fourth complaint, supported by Deputy Speaker Francisco Paul Ortega V and Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante. Luisito stated: “The fourth complaint, the Cabrera complaint, meets the formal requirements and is hereby accepted.”
The acceptance of these two complaints moves them to the next stage: substantive review, where the committee will assess whether the content of the complaints qualifies as impeachable offenses as defined by the constitution.
Earlier, the committee postponed deliberations on the first complaint, filed by former lawmakers and activists on February 2, 2026 and supported by the Makabayan group, by a vote of 22 to 10, ruling it violated the one-year filing limitation set by the constitution.
During the hearing, the committee also approved a request for withdrawal of a complaint filed by Tindig Pilipinas co-convener Francis Joseph “Kiko” Aquino Dee. In his letter, he said that after careful consideration, they would withdraw the February 2 complaint and instead support the third complaint filed by Sabala and others.
The complaints accuse the Vice President of dereliction of duty, constitutional violations, corruption, bribery, and other high crimes, in accordance with Article XI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution.
Committee Chair, Batangas Representative Jervil Luisito, announced: “The third impeachment complaint, which is the complaint filed by Sabala and others, meets the formal requirements and is hereby accepted.” This complaint is supported by Liberal People’s Party (Liberal People’s Party-list) Representative Leila de Lima.
The committee also approved the fourth complaint, supported by Deputy Speaker Francisco Paul Ortega V and Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante. Luisito stated: “The fourth complaint, the Cabrera complaint, meets the formal requirements and is hereby accepted.”
The acceptance of these two complaints moves them to the next stage: substantive review, where the committee will assess whether the content of the complaints qualifies as impeachable offenses as defined by the constitution.
Earlier, the committee postponed deliberations on the first complaint, filed by former lawmakers and activists on February 2, 2026 and supported by the Makabayan group, by a vote of 22 to 10, ruling it violated the one-year filing limitation set by the constitution.
During the hearing, the committee also approved a request for withdrawal of a complaint filed by Tindig Pilipinas co-convener Francis Joseph “Kiko” Aquino Dee. In his letter, he said that after careful consideration, they would withdraw the February 2 complaint and instead support the third complaint filed by Sabala and others.
The complaints accuse the Vice President of dereliction of duty, constitutional violations, corruption, bribery, and other high crimes, in accordance with Article XI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution.