Jamaine Punzalan

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leads an event at the Kalayaan Hall in Malacañang Palace, Manila, on October 7, 2025. Mark Balmores, PPA pool

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MARCOS

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176878669501120251007-marcos-lcp-oathtaking-PPA-5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leads an event at the Kalayaan Hall in Malacañang Palace, Manila, on October 7, 2025. Mark Balmores, PPA pool</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA<strong> (2nd UPDATE) </strong>— An impeachment complaint, the first against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was filed on Monday before the House of Representatives over alleged graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust.</p><p>Complainant Atty. Andre de Jesus cited as grounds the President’s supposed “order” and “enabling” of the alleged “kidnapping” and surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court.  </p><p>De Jesus said this was carried out “without a valid Philippine warrant”, and despite the continued operation of Philippine courts.</p><p>Marcos “deliberately resorted to foreign intervention and completely ignored domestic legal processes,” the complaint said.</p><p>“This surrender of a former President to a foreign tribunal is a direct affront to national sovereignty and a blatant violation of constitutional guarantees of due process,” it added.</p><p>“We are putting to question and holding the president accountable, number one, for allowing a citizen of our country to just be whisked away, kidnapped virtually, and brought to a foreign land without due process, despite fully functioning courts here in the country,” de Jesus told the media.</p><p>Last March 2025, the Philippine National Police arrested Duterte on the basis of a warrant issued by the ICC and coursed through the Interpol. The warrant was in connection with the alleged crimes against humanity in the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/12/erice-usual-suspects-to-endorse-impeachment-complaint-vs-marcos-jr-1632">Erice: &#x27;Usual suspects&#x27; behind impeachment complaint vs Marcos Jr.</a></div><p>In a statement, Malacañang said it trusts Congress to handle the complaint &quot;with honesty, integrity, and fidelity to the rule of law.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The President fully upholds the Constitution and remains confident in the strength of our democratic institutions. While these processes take their course, the President will continue to govern, ensuring that public services remain uninterrupted and that the work of government stays focused on improving the lives of our people,&quot; it said in a statement released by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02DBrUcyzQsgWx3fVdpRrygyA3fYLH78Vk9parwMkFBf8bU2oPyV5R4opKTWegZdQLl&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=500" width="500" height="498" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>OTHER GROUNDS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The grounds for impeachment cited by De Jesus also included the President’s alleged “unfitness to serve” due to supposed “drug addiction”, claiming this was supported by a previous statement issued by his sister Sen. Imee Marcos.</p><p>“Such an admission from a close family member carries immense probative weight… Her admission was not speculative gossip— it was insider acknowledgment,” the complaint said.</p><div> <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02ibc8eTCK5NFSKwCRYHmbEcHBmhhmarrDew4AGxacnTy9TCZxgnTfX9m6gpG5QtTQl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="728" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/13/sotto-says-to-act-forthwith-on-possible-impeachment-vs-marcos-duterte-1420"></a></div><div><br/></div><p>“Respondent’s refusal to submit to a drug test conclusively demonstrates his disregard for transparency and accountability... By remaining silent and evasive, Respondent tellingly confirmed public suspicion and betrayed the trust of a nation he swore to serve,” it added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/18/-wait-and-see-palace-leaves-imee-s-drug-use-claim-vs-marcos-jr-up-to-ombudsman-doj-1443">‘Wait and see’: Palace leaves Imee’s drug use claim vs Marcos Jr. up to Ombudsman, DOJ</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/18/sandro-marcos-calls-out-tita-imee-for-betraying-family-over-political-ambitions-0829">Sandro Marcos calls out &#x27;tita&#x27; Imee for &#x27;betraying&#x27; family over political ambitions</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/19/first-lady-imee-marcos-disown-barbs-against-each-other-1103">First Lady, Imee Marcos disown barbs against each other</a></div><p>De Jesus further included as grounds Marcos Jr.’s alleged failure to veto unprogrammed appropriations and other “unconstitutional” provisions in the General Appropriations Bill for 2023 to 2026.</p><p>“This pattern of inaction is not mere negligence— it is deliberate acquiescence designed to preserve discretionary control over public funds,” the complaint stated.</p><p>De Jesus claimed that the President “benefitted from kickbacks arising from budget insertions and ghost flood control projects”, and that he created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to supposedly “shield corrupt allies”. The complainant cited ICI’s alleged “selective enforcement that targets opponents, while exempting those aligned with the Respondent”.</p><p>“Respondent orchestrated the insertion of massive amounts into the General Appropriations Act to create a pool of funds for kickbacks— a scheme publicly exposed and widely discussed,” the complaint said.</p><p>“The proliferation of ghost flood control projects nationwide confirms the existence of a coordinated and deliberate effort to plunder public funds. Such large-scale corruption could not have occurred without presidential approval,” it added.</p><p>The complaint mentioned the video statements of former congressman Zaldy Co, who previously claimed that kickbacks from infrastructure projects were allegedly delivered to the President’s allies.</p><p>“Respondent has demonstrated a pattern of corruption, disloyalty to constitutional order, and moral unfitness,” de Jesus said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/15/marcos-jr-wants-coordination-with-portugal-for-zaldy-co-s-return-not-extradition-palace-1520">Marcos Jr. wants coordination with Portugal for Zaldy Co’s return, not extradition–Palace</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘CONG-TRACTOR?’ </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>House Deputy Minority Leader and Pusong Pinoy Party List Rep. Jett Nisay endorsed the impeachment complaint against the President and urged the lower chamber that it be calendared in the Order of Business and referred to the House Committee on Justice for appropriate proceedings pursuant to law and the House Rules.</p><p>Nisay was among the list of congressmen who the ICI said were linked to contractors in government infrastructure projects.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/26/ici-eyes-raps-vs-congtractors-1352">ICI seeks raps vs lawmakers with construction firms that bagged DPWH projects</a></div><p>Last November, the independent body recommended the filing of criminal and administrative complaints against Nisay and some other congressmen, who the ICI tagged as alleged “cong-tractors”.</p><p>The ICI recommendation against Nisay was over his supposed links to JVN Construction and Trading.</p><p>Asked whether Nisay was working with the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte on the impeachment complaint he filed against the President, the lawmaker replied, “No.”</p><p>In February 2025, Nisay was among the 215 congressmen who signed the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives against Duterte.</p><p>House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Caloocan City Second District Rep. Edgar Erice, meanwhile, finds it “strange” for de Jesus to file an impeachment complaint against the President. </p><p>Erice claimed de Jesus previously filed a disbarment case against a lawyer for supposedly “vilifying” First Lady Liza Marcos. </p><p>The lawmaker doubts the complaint de Jesus filed against the President would prosper, saying “it lacks form and substance”.</p><p>“I&#x27;m still puzzled with what is the motive… Sometime in November 2024, The same attorney Andre de Jesus, filed a disbarment case against Atty. Glenn Chong for some statements vilifying the First Lady,” Erice said.</p><p>De Jesus denied having links to both the President and the Vice President.</p><p>“I have no links with the President himself. I have not met either the President or the First Lady. There&#x27;s that accusation that this is intended to trigger the one-year ban, right? What does matter to me is there is a need to hold the President accountable, the grounds are there and I’m looking forward to an opportunity, an avenue to have all these grounds ventilated,” he asserted.</p><p>The Vice President’s brother Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte believes the first impeachment complaint filed against the President seeks to “defend” him by triggering the one-year ban on initiating more than one impeachment proceeding against the same official.</p><p>“Alam naman natin na iisang impeachment complaint lamang ang pwedeng ma-file laban sa isang impeachable official… mga impeachment cases na ganito ay walang ibang purpose kundi ang idepensa ang isang impeachable official laban sa mga totoong impeachment cases…PAG MADISMISS ANG ISANG IMPEACHMENT CASE,ISANG TAON NA NAMAN ANG HIHINTAYIN para muling mag file ng panibagong impeachment complaint,” he said in a social media post.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PROCEDURE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil confirmed that an impeachment complaint against the President was filed at 8:45 a.m. at the House of Representatives.  </p><p>“This complaint will be transmitted to Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ G.  Dy III in accordance with the Constitution and the Rules of the House of Representatives,” she said in a statement.</p><p>Under the House Rules, once a verified impeachment complaint reaches the Office of the House Speaker, he shall have 10 session days from receipt to include it in the Order of Business. If filed by less than a third of House members, the complaint shall then be referred to the House Committee on Justice within three session days, where there will be a determination of sufficiency in form and substance.</p><p>The House Committee on Rules, led by Presidential Son and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, has a role in the referral of the complaint to  the appropriate panel.</p><p>“I think there is no choice for him. Because it really says that it has to be referred to the Committee of Justice. So even if he is the majority leader, and even if the impeachable officer that he&#x27;s complained of is his father, wala siyang magawa because ang procedure talaga is that after it is included in the order of business, then in three days, it has to be referred to the Committee on Justice,” House Committee on Justice Vice Chairperson and Bukidnon Second District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said.</p><p>House Committee on Justice Chairperson and Batangas Second District Rep. Gerville Luistro gave assurances her panel would be ready to receive the impeachment complaint once referred to it.</p><p>“If this is official already, as soon as it is included in the order of business and soon enough will be referred in the Justice Committee, rest assured that the Justice Committee is ready to receive the impeachment complaint… It is filed by a private individual and sponsored by a House member, so if that is the case, this is not actually the rule which is the subject matter of the decision of the Supreme Court. ‘Yung naging subject matter po ng decision ng Supreme Court pertains to an impeachment complaint filed by at least one-third of the House members. This one is different,” she said.</p><p>“Well, ‘pag sinabi natin sufficiency in form, ito ‘yung dapat verified, tapos signed by, sponsored by a House member, things like that. ‘Pag sinabi naman natin substance… There&#x27;s sufficient evidence that support the grounds for impeachment,” Luistro explained.</p><p>She added it was up to the President’s discretion whether or not to attend the impeachment proceedings.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/13/sotto-says-to-act-forthwith-on-possible-impeachment-vs-marcos-duterte-1420">Sotto says to act &#x27;forthwith&#x27; on possible impeachment vs Marcos, Duterte</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>OTHER POSSIBLE COMPLAINTS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The mere filing of an impeachment complaint does not “initiate” the impeachment proceeding and is not sufficient to trigger the one-year ban, according to Flores.</p><p>He said that if not filed by one-third of House members, a complaint is only deemed initiated when referred to the House Committee on Justice.</p><p>“The mere filing does not initiate the complaint. Based on the Supreme Court decisions, it should have been from the time it is referred to the Justice Committee. That&#x27;s the initiated,” Flores said.</p><p>“Once the first one is deemed initiated, it will set a bar for all other impeachment complaints. So they have to, if they intend to file an impeachment complaint, they must do so as soon as possible time para ‘di pa-barred by the one-year bar rule Kasi kung nasimulan na ‘yung isa, wala na talagang matanggap na impeachment complaints as far as the same impeachable officer is concerned,” he said.</p><p>Erice expects a pro-VP Duterte group to soon file another impeachment complaint against the President.</p><p>Makabayan congressmen said they have their own impeachment initiative. </p><p>“We believe that the basis for impeachment is present in the systematic plunder of the budget, the ballooning unprogrammed funds used for anomalous flood control projects and the serious allegations of Palace kickbacks in infrastructure projects,” they said.<br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/12/palace-defends-marcos-jr-s-pivot-from-hands-off-policy-on-duterte-s-impeachment-1505">Palace defends Marcos Jr.’s pivot from ‘hands-off’ policy on Duterte’s impeachment</a></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><iframe width="729" height="410" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GGsxw7e_w28" title="Impeachment vs Marcos Jr a defense tactic - Castro | DZMM Teleradyo" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <iframe width="830" height="467" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l3tGj8qDMAY" title="Marcos may face impeachment over betrayal of public trust – Erice | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>An impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was filed Monday at the House of Representatives over alleged “graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust”.</p>

An impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was filed Monday at the House of Representatives over alleged “graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust”.

First impeachment complaint filed against Marcos

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First impeachment complaint filed against Marcos

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 19, 2026 10:04 AM PHT

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Updated January 19, 2026 04:31 PM PHT

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