MANILA, Philippines — The House Committee on Justice has ruled that two pending impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte have met the basic procedural requirements to proceed with further review.
During deliberations on Monday, the panel declared the third and fourth impeachment complaints filed against Duterte as “sufficient in form,” a key step that allows the committee to examine whether the allegations, if proven true, could amount to impeachable offenses under the Constitution.
Being deemed sufficient in form means the petitions complied with technical requirements under House rules, such as proper verification and endorsement by lawmakers, but does not imply that the allegations have been validated or will automatically proceed to impeachment trial.
The third complaint was filed by a group led by religious leaders and endorsed by Makabayang Party-List Representative Leila de Lima. Meanwhile, the fourth was filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and endorsed by several members of the House. Both complaints center on accusations related to alleged misuse of confidential funds and other charges.
Earlier in the hearing, the committee set aside the first impeachment complaint filed on Feb. 2 for violating the one-year bar rule under the Constitution, which limits how often impeachment proceedings can be initiated against a sitting official. Another complaint filed on the same day was formally withdrawn by its proponents in favor of supporting the third complaint.
With the sufficiency in form determination completed, the justice panel will next assess whether the complaints are sufficient in substance — that is, whether they contain allegations that could constitute impeachable offenses such as betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
The outcome of the substance review will determine whether the impeachment process advances further in the House of Representatives.
