THE House of Representatives Committee on Justice declared on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, that the two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte are sufficient in substance.
Some 54 lawmakers voted in favor of the motion finding the impeachment complaints against Duterte sufficient in substance, one voted against, and there were zero abstentions.
Only Quezon City Fourth District Representative Bong Suntay voted against the measure.
The complaints, the third and fourth filed against Duterte by civil society groups, clergy, and lawyers, accuse her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violations of the Constitution, and misuse of public funds in connection with alleged irregularities involving confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education during her time as department secretary.
Also cited in the complaints were the threats Duterte made against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
House justice panel chairperson, Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro, clarified that the committee’s finding of sufficiency in substance does not determine guilt or innocence, but simply means that the complaints warrant further proceedings under the Constitution.
Under House rules, once a complaint passes both the sufficiency in form and sufficiency in substance tests, the respondent is formally notified and given 10 calendar days to file a written answer to the allegations.
In a statement, Duterte's legal team spokesperson, Lawyer Michael Poa, said they will carefully review the actions taken by the House and the committee, as well as the records of the proceedings.
“For now, we will refrain from discussing the substance of the case in the media and will instead address these matters through the proper constitutional processes,” Poa said. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)