Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Duterte outlines her priorities, including governance reforms, public service continuity, and national development. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP SARA DUTERTE

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MexG0Va5SUA" title="LIVE: House resumes deliberation on complaints for impeachment vs. VP Sara Duterte" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The House Committee on Justice on Wednesday found that the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte had sufficient grounds to proceed to a hearing proper. </p><p>No panel member objected to the motion to declare the two complaints sufficient in grounds. The hearing proper was scheduled to begin on March 25.</p><p>“The evidence and witnesses which will be presented by both parties during the hearing proper will be part of our consideration in the determination of probable cause,” House Committee on Justice Chairperson Gerville Luistro said.</p><p>“The Chair announces the pre-determined schedule of our hearing proper. This includes March 25, 2026, April 14, April 22, April 29, 2026. These are the initial dates for our hearing proper,” she added.</p><p>Duterte’s legal team earlier <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/16/vp-duterte-files-response-to-impeachment-complaints-1752">asked the committee to dismiss the complaints</a>, citing alleged &quot;absence&quot; of ultimate facts, alleged &quot;violation&quot; of her right to due process, and alleged &quot;double standards&quot; in the House panel proceedings.</p><p>The complainants on Tuesday waived their right to reply to Duterte’s Consolidated Verified Answer Ad Cautelam, which they described as a <a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/17/3rd-impeachment-complainants-waive-right-to-reply-to-vp-duterte-s-non-answer-1226">&quot;non-answer.&quot;</a></p><p>The endorsers of the complaints confirmed the manifestations during Wednesday&#x27;s House panel meeting.</p><p>“Wala pong direktang mga sagot. Puno general na denial lang ang sagot at kahit anumang kasunod nito o dagdag ay magko-cause lang ng further delay,” said House Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega. </p><p>“It&#x27;s pointless really to further scrutinize whether indeed there are sufficient grounds because that has been exhaustively discussed already in relation to the issue of the sufficiency in substance,” House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima added.  </p><p>House panel members agreed with their view.</p><p>“I have heard the Vice President say that Mary Grace Piattos will be explained, the 11 days will be explained of the P125 million, but unfortunately, it’s not here… It does not have the facts that could constitute the real answer, so a hearing would be required on this particular matter” Cagayan de Oro City Second District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said.</p><p>“They are now questioning the jurisdiction of this committee without rebutting or answering the accusation point by point,” Manila City Third District Rep. Joel Chua added.</p><p> Atty. Michael Poa, a spokesman for the vice president, said their position &quot;remains unchanged&quot; after Wednesday&#x27;s developments.</p><p>&quot;The complaints suffer from a fundamental defect. They are built on conclusions, speculation, and narratives that are not anchored on the ultimate facts required under the Constitution and the Rules,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SUPREME COURT</strong></div><p>Duterte, who in February <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/18/sara-duterte-to-run-for-president-1102">announced a 2028 presidential bid</a>, was impeached last year, only for the Supreme Court to toss the case out over procedural issues.</p><p>Under the Philippine constitution, an impeachment by the House of Representatives triggers a Senate trial, where a guilty verdict would ban Duterte from elected office for life.</p><p>House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio sees the Vice President’s response as an indication that her camp could again question the House impeachment proceedings before the Supreme Court.</p><p>“Kaya nanawagan po tayo hindi lang sa Justice Committee kundi sa House na kailangang panindigan natin ang ating poder, our power as a co-equal branch sa proseso ng impeachment. Hindi dapat tayo pumayag na muli na namang madiskaril ng isang desisyon ng Korte Suprema ang impeachment,” he said.</p><p>In a press conference, Luistro said the impeachment proceedings at the lower chamber would continue unless the Supreme Court issues an order halting it.</p><p>“We cannot actually  stop them from going to the Supreme Court.. But that is her prerogative, and the only option we have is to continue with the impeachment proceeding for as long as there is no TRO yet and for as long as there is no adverse declaration yet from the highest tribunal,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DUE PROCESS</strong></div><p><strong></strong>The new complaints accuse her of graft and corruption while in office and of making a death threat against former ally President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. <strong></strong></p><p>Sagip party-list Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta tried to raise a question on the proceedings.</p><p>“Ngayon ko lang po yata narinig itong bago na rule na ito, sufficiency in grounds,” he told the panel.</p><p>Luistro replied that under House rules, the justice panel “shall determine whether the complaint alleges sufficient grounds for impeachment.” </p><p>“Hindi ba ho dapat we should&#x27;ve determined the sufficiency in ground before we voted on sufficiency in form and substance?” Marcoleta asked again.</p><p>“Kindly look into the copy of the rules of impeachment, because everything I am saying is strictly consistent with the provision of the rules,” Luistro answered. </p><p>“I encourage all member and even non-members na sana basahin po natin ang rules para hindi tayo nalilito nang sa ganoon, maiwasan natin ‘yung mga tanong na maliwanag naman sa ating rules,” Chua added.</p><p>Luistro reiterated that Duterte was not denied due process.</p><p>“Following the rules, the Vice President was furnished copies of the complaints. She was given the opportunity to respond. Iyan po ang due process.</p><p>Sa proseso, lahat binibigyan ng pagkakataong magpaliwanag. And she responded. She submitted her answer, 15 pages, with 5 annexes, signed by 16 lawyers,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>HEARING PROPER</strong></div><p>The House panel will send notices to the respondent Vice President Duterte, the complainants and the witnesses to attend the hearing proper. </p><p>“This will be a minute trial, should I say. Because the full-blown trial will happen in the Senate. What is important is to give ample opportunity to the complainant to present their witness and evidence per ground,” Luistro said. </p><p>“In addition also, the rule is very clear that only the Justice members are allowed to conduct direct examination and cross-examination, which means that while the parties may avail themselves of the services of lawyers, the participation of lawyers with respect to the proceeding before the Justice Committee is limited only to assisting their clients,” she added. </p><p>Asked whether Duterte can send a lawyer on her behalf, Luistro said the participation of legal counsels are limited to assisting their client.</p><p>“Her presence during the hearing proper and even her presentation of evidence is actually part of her right to due process. As to whether he will avail of the same, it depends on her… How will the lawyer assist? Actually, they are not allowed to participate. The participation of lawyers is limited only to assisting clients,” she said.</p><p>Poa said he has yet to confer with Duterte if she will attend the hearing.</p><p>&quot;That said, there is no requirement under the applicable rules for her personal attendance,&quot; he added. &quot;Any decision in that regard will be made in accordance with her rights and upon the advice of counsel.&quot;</p><p>I have not yet conferred with the Vice President on this matter.</p><p>The committee will tackle on March 25 the request of Akbayan Party List Rep. Chel Diokno to issue subpoena for Duterte’s statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth, record of bank transactions, and relevant documents and to<a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/12/diokno-asks-house-panel-to-take-custody-of-madriaga-for-sara-duterte-impeachment-proceedings-0956"> place witness Ramil Madriaga under protective custody.</a></p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/13/sara-duterte-slams-disturbing-bid-for-house-custody-of-madriaga-0951">Sara Duterte slams ‘disturbing’ bid for House custody of Madriaga</a></div><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse </strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/adbwnYCaC2E" title="Sara Duterte files response to impeachment complaints | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xFTFqqnl9D8" title="3rd, 4th impeach complainants waive right to reply to VP Duterte’s &#x27;non-answer&#x27;" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>No panel member objected to the motion to declare the two complaints sufficient in grounds.</p>

<p>The House Committee on Justice on Wednesday found that the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte had sufficient grounds to proceed to a hearing proper.</p>

The House Committee on Justice on Wednesday found that the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte had sufficient grounds to proceed to a hearing proper.

House panel finds Sara Duterte impeachment complaints ‘sufficient in grounds’, to start ‘hearing proper’ on March 25

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House panel finds Sara Duterte impeachment complaints ‘sufficient in grounds’, to start ‘hearing proper’ on March 25

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 18, 2026 10:40 AM PHT

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Updated March 18, 2026 05:55 PM PHT

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Sara Duterte

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