Geline Salac

Justice panel to tackle substance of impeachment complaints vs Marcos Jr

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>After determining that the complaints are <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/2/house-begins-tackling-marcos-impeachment-complaints-1019">sufficient in form,</a> the House of Representatives justice committee will now deliberate on whether or not the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are sufficient in substance.</p><p>House justice panel chairwoman Gerville Luistro said the next part of the deliberations will be more interesting because it will require the judgment of the justice committee members to determine if the recital of facts in the complaints are enough grounds for impeachment.</p><p>“Hindi sapat na nagkamali ang isang official. Dapat ‘yung pagkakamali ay mag constitute nang isang impeachable offense,” she said in a DZMM interview.</p><p>Luistro said the process of determination will be confined to what appears on the impeachment complaint.</p><p>“We are not allowed to receive evidence. How they wrote and drafted the allegations therein, ‘yun lang ang basis namin,” she said.</p><p>A total of 39 members plus 15 ex-officio members may participate in the deliberations. Manifestations will be limited to 5 minutes each, Luistro said.</p><p>If the committee deems the impeachment complaints as sufficient in substance, the panel will then ask the respondent - President Marcos Jr - to file a response. The complainant can then reply while the respondent can also issue a rejoinder.</p><p>Submission of evidence, affidavits and counter-affidavits will be done during Step 3, Luistro said.</p><p>On the other hand, if the justice committee votes that the complaints are not sufficient in substance, “that will be equivalent to dismissal of the impeachment complaints,&quot; she said. </p><p>The justice committee will then submit a report to the House plenary.</p><p>Luistro noted that even if the committee finds the complaints as sufficient or insufficient in substance, the committee report can still be reversed if one-third of the plenary votes otherwise. </p><p>“Lahat ng decision ng justice committee is subject to the approval of the plenary of the House of Representatives,” she said.</p><p>The House Committee on Justice declared the two impeachment complaints — filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus and another from progressive group leaders and congressmen from the Makabayan bloc — against Marcos sufficient in form.</p><p>De Jesus accused Marcos of graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust while the Makabayan bloc alleged the President betrayed the public trust by packing the national budget with projects aimed at redirecting funds to allies.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v99PCQt_xTU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LhEXX8g09EE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>After determining that the complaints are <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/2/house-begins-tackling-marcos-impeachment-complaints-1019">sufficient in form,</a> the House of Representatives justice committee will now deliberate on whether or not the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are sufficient in substance.</p>

After determining that the complaints are sufficient in form, the House of Representatives justice committee will now deliberate on whether or not the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are sufficient in substance.