Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for president during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP SARA DUTERTE

<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/177251887609520260218-vp-sara-duterte-presidency-MT5 (1).jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for president during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.<em> Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The House justice committee voted Wednesday that two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte were “sufficient in substance” to move forward. </div><p>The panel ordered the issuance of a notice for Duterte to file her answer to the complaints within 10 days.</p><p>Duterte, who recently <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 her candidacy for the 2028 presidential election</a>, was impeached by the House of Representatives last year only to see the Supreme Court toss the case out over procedural issues.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/28/vp-duterte-s-planned-presidential-run-irrelevant-in-impeachment-proceedings-ridon-1501">VP Duterte&#x27;s planned presidential run &#x27;irrelevant&#x27; in impeachment proceedings: Ridon</a></div><p>The revived impeachment bid against her leans heavily on allegations that she misused public funds while in office. Duterte also stands accused of making a death threat against her former ally and current President Ferdinand Marcos, with whom she is engaged in an explosive political feud.</p><p>Duterte has denied the charges.</p><p>Fifty-four House panel members voted to declare the complaints “sufficient in substance”. Only Quezon City Fourth District Representative <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izu_f3R_NcI">Bong Suntay voted against it</a>, and no one abstained.</p><p>&quot;Our vote today is not a verdict of guilt nor an act of condemnation. It&#x27;s simply a decision on whether the constitutional process should move forward,&quot; Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez said minutes before the vote.</p><p>One complaint was filed by members of the clergy and endorsed by Rep. Leila De Lima, while the second was filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and endorsed by Reps. Paolo Ortega and Bienvenido Abante Jr.</p><p>At least one-third of the House must vote in favor of impeachment for the case to move to the Senate.</p><p>A guilty verdict in the Senate trial would result in Duterte being barred from politics and sidelined from the 2028 presidential race. </p><p>&quot;If she doesn’t file an answer, that is considered as a denial of all the allegations contained in the complaint. The Justice Committee will simply proceed to hearing the complaints,&quot; House Committee on Justice Chairperson Gerville Luistro said.</p><p>If Duterte files an answer, the complainants will be given a opportunity to file a reply within three days from receipt of the answer. The House panel tentatively scheduled its next hearing on April 8th to determine whether based on the pleadings, there is sufficient ground to proceed to the hearing proper.</p><p>Analysts have warned that Duterte&#x27;s presidential announcement will weigh heavily on lawmakers forced to gauge the repercussions of a vote against someone who may yet hold the country&#x27;s highest office.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PALACE: MARCOS HANDS OFF </strong></div><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not interfere in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, Malacañang said. </p><p>“Hindi po makikialam ang Pangulo kung ano po ang mangyayari at magaganap sa hearing sa impeachment complaint laban kay Bise Presidente,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said. </p><p>“Ang tanging nais lamang po niya ay masunod ang proseso, masunod ang Konstitusyon at makita kung anuman ang ebidensiya at kung may dapat na managot, managot – hanggang doon lamang po,” she said in a press briefing. </p><p>The Palace official noted that she and Marcos Jr. have yet to talk about the impeachment, saying that they were focused on issues concerning the growing Middle East conflict.</p><p>The same committee hearing the case against Duterte last month tossed out a pair of impeachment complaints against Marcos, ruling that allegations of corruption over a scandal involving bogus flood control projects lacked substance.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DUTERTE TEAM TO &#x27;CAREFULLY REVIEW&#x27; PROCEEDINGS</strong></div><p>Michael Wesley Poa, spokesman for Duterte&#x27;s defense team, said they “have been informed of the vote of the House of Representatives finding the 3rd and 4th impeachment complaints sufficient in form and substance.”</p><p>&quot;At this stage, the Vice President’s legal team will carefully review the actions taken by the House and the Committee, as well as the records of the proceedings,&quot; he said in a statement. </p><p>Duterte earlier in the day said <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/4/sara-duterte-says-impeachment-proceedings-not-a-priority-of-her-office-1031">she had not been monitoring the proceedings</a>, which she said were not a priority of her office.</p><p>&quot;For now, we will refrain from discussing the substance of the case in the media and will instead address these matters through the proper constitutional processes,&quot; Poa said.</p><p>Duterte refused to answer questions if she was willing to attend the proceedings if invited by the House.</p><p>In a statement, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte said the decision of the House panel on the sufficiency of the two complaints against his sister did not come as a surprise, adding it shows &quot;certain forces in Congress are willing to weaponize impeachment for political ends rather than uphold fairness and justice.&quot;</p><p>&quot;To the 54 others who voted in favor of pushing these complaints forward, remember this: political power is temporary, but accountability to the Filipino people is permanent. You may have the numbers today, but history has a way of judging those who abuse their authority,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;There will be a time when the Filipino people will render their verdict. And when that day comes, everyone should be ready to stand by their actions and answer for it,&quot; Rep. Duterte added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>UNEXPLAINED WEALTH?</strong></div><p>Before the voting on sufficiency in substance, House members debated on the statement facts to support the allegation that the Vice President amassed unexplained wealth.</p><p>Bicol Saro Party List Representative Terry Ridon showed Duterte&#x27;s supposed SALNs, which showed that her net worth increased from more than P18.4 million in 2008 to P77.5 million in 2023 and P88.5 million in 2024.</p><p>&quot;We leave it to the Justice Committee as to whether or not we would consider it as a case of unexplained wealth,&quot; Ridon said.</p><p>&quot;Has that been authenticated by the Ombudsman? We cannot inject anything not found in the complaint,&quot; Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez asked.</p><p>&quot;It is public record, Madam Chair. I am speaking as a House member and participating in the House committee on Justice. The point is not on point,&quot; Ridon replied.</p><p>&quot;That might not be introduced as evidence yet, but that might be introduced as part of the manifestation of the honorable Ridon… All your manifestations… will become the basis of the judgment of the justice members in determining the sufficiency in substance,&quot; Luistro said.</p><p>Some lawmakers also questioned the credibility of Ramil Madriaga, who claimed to be Duterte&#x27;s former bagman. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/4/sara-duterte-madriaga-perjury-complaint-0951">READ: Sara Duterte files perjury complaint vs Madriaga</a></div><p>&quot;Nasaan ba si Madriaga? &#x27;Di ba nakakulong yata? So we are relying on an affidavit of an individual currently in prison? Sino ba si Madriaga? Mayroon ba siyang appointment kay VP Sara to prove that he is an employee?&quot; Suntay asked.</p><p>&quot;Are we talking now here about the credibility of a prospective witness in these proceedings? We&#x27;re not yet at the evidentiary stage. We&#x27;re not yet supposed to judge whether or not Mr. Madriaga is credible. It is premature and it tries to divert the matter now,&quot; De Lima replied.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung confidential agents, which is basically I think who Madriaga is… are treated actually as employees of offices that implement confidential funds? I don&#x27;t think so,&quot; Ridon added.</p><p>In an interview after the meeting, De Lima questioned the timing of the Vice President&#x27;s filing of a perjury complaint against Madriaga on Wednesday.</p><p>&quot;Bakit dati, hindi nila ginagawa &#x27;yan? Noong November pa lumabas &#x27;yung sworn affidavit ni Ramil Madriaga, and then bakit ngayon lang? Tina-timing na nila. Alam na nila na magbobotohan na ngayon.  So maybe, they are hoping na more or less ma-dissuade o maiimpluwensiyahan, mag-aalinlangan bang bumoto in favor of the declaration of the sufficiency in substance ngayong araw na nangyari na nga, buti na lang walang pumansin,&quot; De Lima said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S9DSvQAR5as" title="LIVE: House holds press briefing on complaints for impeachment vs. VP Sara Duterte" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The House justice committee voted Wednesday that two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte were “sufficient in substance” to move forward.</p>

The House justice committee voted Wednesday that two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte were “sufficient in substance” to move forward.

House panel: Sara Duterte impeachment complaints ‘sufficient in substance’

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House panel: Sara Duterte impeachment complaints ‘sufficient in substance’

Vivienne Gula,

Harlene Delgado and Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse

Published March 04, 2026 02:03 PM PHT

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Updated March 14, 2026 12:18 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Duterte impeachment

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