Marilyn Cahatol

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Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATE) — The House Committee on Justice completed on Tuesday its discussions on whether the 3rd impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte is “sufficient in substance”, which means the allegations “rise to the level of an impeachable offense” and are “credible enough” to justify moving forward with the process.“At this stage, weare not determining guilt. We are notweighing evidence. The only question before usis: Is there enough in these complaints tojustify moving forward with theimpeachment process? Ito bang nakasaad dito, sapat ba itong dahilan para sa impeachment?” House Committee on Justice Chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro said.During the meeting, the complaint’s endorser, ML Party List Representative Leila de Lima asserted there is documentary evidence, House records, and Commission on Audit findings to support the first ground accusing Duterte of misusing the OVP’s confidential funds.Quezon City 4th District Representative Bong Suntay pointed out that requesting for confidential funds and signing disbursement vouchers are “not illegal”. He said there is no direct claim that the Vice President benefitted from the said funds.De Lima, Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua, and Bicol Saro Party List Representative Terry Ridon disputed this.“The paragraph describes a transfer between subordinates. No allegation is made that the respondent received the funds or personally benefitted. (10:58) Does rapid disbursement alone constitute an impeachable offense?” Suntay asked.“P16 million has been used for the rental of safehouses… In the course of 11 days, around P500,000 was used for this. If you make an extrapolation, on a day to day, it would be around P45,000 per day... That should be around P1.36 million per month in rental of these particular safehouse properties… Saan po ‘yung safehouses na ito? If you’re talking about P1.3 million a month rental property… These safehouses should be in the most expensive condominiums… ‘Pag wala ‘yun doon, parang hindi tama yung sinasabing paggamit ng confidential funds,” Ridon replied.“Sabi po dito, the cash was placed into four traveling bags and brought to the OVP on the same day. Thereafter, VP Sara instructed [Special Disbursing Officer Gina] Acosta to release the P125 million to Col. [Raymund] Lachica (the head of Duterte’s security group). Sabi dito, Acosta, pursuant to VP’s instruction, personally gave Col. Lachica the full amount of P125 million. Ang SDO po ay si Acosta. Ano po ang papel ni Col. Lachica dito po sa P125M? And that is upon the instruction of the Vice President. Dito po ba wala po tayong nakikitang diperensya? After Lachica, ano na? Dito papasok ‘yung statement ni Madriaga,” Chua added.“The certification… That is more than just command responsibility, but is in fact direct knowledge, direct information as to the contents of the certification that these are used for certain supposedly lawful purposes, but they turned out to be not so, in accordance with the COA audit memoranda,” De Lima noted.On the complaint’s second ground accusing Duterte of misusing confidential funds from the Department of Education when she was still its Secretary, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez argued that the Vice President’s actions as DepEd chief do not fall within the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Justice. He said the Education Secretary is not an impeachable official. Rodriguez made the same argument for the third ground, which accuses Duterte of bribing DepEd officials.But De Lima asserted such argument would allow an impeachable official “skirt accountability” if he or she committed an impeachable offense based on her capacity in another office.“Section 2 of Article 11 enumerates the officials that can be impeached, I cannot see here the Secretary of DepEd to be impeached. In other words, these allegations about actuations of Vice President Duterte as the duly appointed Secretary of Education is not within the jurisdiction of an impeachment court. We are not impeaching here a Secretary of Education,” Rodriguez said.“Does the Vice President cease from becoming such the moment she assumes the position of Secretary of Education?” Luistro asked.“Madam Chair, she does not cease, but she holds another office separate from the Office of the Vice President,” Rodriguez replied.“I respectfully disagree with the main contention…We need to look into what is clear to be modus. The scheme, does the pattern of her irregular acts constitutive of impeachable offenses. It is absurd to isolate acts or ommissions committed by an impeachable officer done in a concurrent official status… I can just commit violations. I can just commit offenses and skirt accountabiliy, simply because it is not the Office of the VP, but the office of the DepEd Secretary,” De Lima said.Suntay tagged the allegation in the third ground as “hearsay”.“Sinabi nanggaling daw kay VP Sara. Pero hindi si VP Sara ang nagbigay ng envelope,” he said.“There have been testimonies about the release, the distribution of the envelopes containing cash. And these are given and distributed to those holding procurement related functions. That is about influencing the decision of these officials. That is certainly bribery,” De Lima replied.

The House Committee on Justice on Tuesday, March 3 moved to the next day its voting on the sufficiency in substance of the third impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The House Committee on Justice on Tuesday, March 3 moved to the next day its voting on the sufficiency in substance of the third impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.

House panel completes deliberations on sufficiency in substance of 3rd impeachment complaint vs. VP Duterte

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House panel completes deliberations on sufficiency in substance of 3rd impeachment complaint vs. VP Duterte

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 03, 2026 05:18 PM PHT

|

Updated Mar 04, 2026 12:12 AM PHT

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House of Representatives

Sara Duterte

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