Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Vice-President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on November 25, 2024, while the hearing on alleged irregularities in the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education is suspended. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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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/177742022407320260428120412_9b8d28f9a7ba464aff499876e419b59f35f9de50e76d8de3bff702c3e6e7735a (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice-President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on November 25, 2024, while the hearing on alleged irregularities in the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education is suspended. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The House Committee on Justice is set to decide on the fate of impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte as it convenes its final hearing on April 29.</p><p>The House panel is expected to vote on whether there is probable cause for the complaints to move forward, following months of hearings that examined multiple allegations–from the use of confidential funds to questions on wealth and other alleged crimes. </p><p>But in the final stretch, the spotlight has shifted to one of the most contentious issues: Duterte’s alleged “grave threats” against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>THREATS</strong></div><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/1777420730345Screen Shot 2026-04-29 at 7.58.38 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte lashed out at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in an expletive-filled press conference last November 2024. <em>Screenshot from Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s online press conference</em> <br/></span></span></span></div><p>The allegation stems from Duterte’s November 2024 press conference, where she said she had arranged for someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and the then-Speaker if anything happened to her. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/20/doj-resolution-on-sara-duterte-s-inciting-to-sedition-grave-threats-cases-under-review-1841">DOJ resolution on Sara Duterte&#x27;s inciting to sedition, grave threats cases under review</a></div><p>“May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘Kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM (Bongbong Marcos), si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke,” Duterte said.</p><p>“Nagbilin na ako. Kapag namatay ako, sabi ko, ‘Huwag kang tumigil ha, hanggang hindi mo mapatay sila.’ And then he said yes,” Duterte added.</p><p>She later said that these remarks were conditional and tied to her safety.</p><p>The statement triggered investigations and became a central point in the impeachment complaints.</p><p>The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), led by Director Melvin Matibag, has been subpoenaed to present digital and documentary evidence during the hearing. </p><p>These materials will be subject to questioning during the hearing and shall shed light on whether Duterte’s remarks constitute a credible and actionable threat under Philippine law.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/14/nbi-meticulous-in-probe-over-vp-dutertes-death-threats-against-marcos-1832">NBI ‘meticulous’ in probe over VP Duterte’s death threats against Marcos</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/26/sara-duterte-faces-subpoena-over-kill-plot-vs-marcos-vp-says-threat-a-plan-without-flesh-1230">Sara Duterte gets subpoena over kill plot vs Marcos; VP says threat a ‘plan without flesh’</a></div><p>The bureau had earlier initiated steps to look into the statement, underscoring its potential criminal implications.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/26/doj-vp-sara-duterte-may-be-charged-with-libel-defamation-grave-threats-1603">DOJ: VP Sara Duterte may be charged with libel, defamation, grave threats</a></div><p>Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. said that the threat could constitute a “high crime,” stressing that such a statement against the sitting President is “not a joke and not something that can be taken lightly.” </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PROBABLE CAUSE</strong><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Panel chair Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said the committee’s role is to determine probable cause, not guilt.</p><p>“This is not about conclusions. This is about whether there is enough evidence to proceed,” she said in earlier hearings,” Luistro said.</p><p>Luistro earlier said that the April 29 hearing could be the last installment in the impeachment hearing against Duterte, and should follow a voting on the determination of the probable cause.</p><p>“We anticipate that at the end of the hearing of April 29, the Justice members will proceed to vote on the determination of the probable cause,” she said.</p><p>In an interview with ANC, Luistro said the evidence against Duterte has already exceeded the necessary standard to establish if there was probable cause to impeach her.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/23/evidence-vs-sara-duterte-surpassed-threshold-of-probable-cause-for-impeachment-luistro-1032">Evidence vs Sara Duterte &#x27;surpassed threshold of probable cause&#x27; for impeachment — Luistro</a></div><p>Earlier hearings tackled other allegations, including Duterte’s use of confidential funds and questions over alleged unexplained wealth.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;WEIGHING FINDINGS&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Following the previous hearings, lawmakers are weighing findings from Commission on Audit (COA) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), while some members of the panel have already signaled their votes.</p><p>&quot;Hindi &#x27;yan smoking gun. Nuclear bomb &#x27;yan. Kasi P6.7 billion in total transactions, P4.4 billion inflows, pumasok na pera sa bangko ng mag-asawa, P1.5 billion.. [Paano] ipapaliwanag ng mga abugado, public official, may mga naluluging negosyo, po ito?&quot; said House Committee on Justice member and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.</p><p>&quot;I will vote for probable cause. I&#x27;m quite certain a lot of members of the Justice Committee will vote for probable cause tomorrow,&quot; he added.</p><p>ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio cited COA notices of disallowance on the Office of the Vice President&#x27;s confidential funds and allaged discrepancies in Duterte&#x27;s declared assets, including bank accounts not reflected in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).</p><p>&quot;Winaldas talaga ‘yung confidential funds. Pinapabalik nga ng COA. Tapos malinaw na malinaw, na-confirm na ‘yung mga undeclared bank accounts. Wala ‘yan sa SALN. Nilulusot ngayon na nasa &#x27;others&#x27; daw pero ang layo naman ng amounts. Bilyones versus P88 million. Mukhang may maleta rin ang bise presidente na kailangan niyang ipaliwanag,&quot; Tinio said.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s camp earlier questioned the disclosure of AMLC data, with Duterte&#x27;s husband, Manases Carpio, filing a complaint over its release.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/26/vp-sara-duterte-s-husband-to-file-raps-over-bank-secrecy-data-privacy-1151">Sara Duterte’s husband to file raps over bank secrecy, data privacy</a></div><p>Carpio filed a complaint against BSP Gov. Eli Remolona Jr., AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, as well as House Committee on Justice Chair Gerville Luistro of Batangas and Reps. Percival Cendaña and Chel Diokno of Akbayan Party-List and Leila De Lima of Mamamayang Liber Party-List.</p><p>The complaint alleged that the respondents “connived to illegally disclose and divulge classified confidential banking records protected under the RA 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) as amended, Bank Secrecy Law (RA 1405) and Data Privacy Act (RA 10173).”</p><p>But Luistro said this would not halt proceedings. </p><p>&quot;Regardless of the cases which are being filed… Everything that happened before the Justice Committee is constitutional. What will only stop us from proceeding in this impeachment complaint is if there is a temporary restraining order, o kaya magkaroon ng injunction. For as long as wala, our mandate is to proceed and to conclude this impeachment proceedings,&quot; she said.</p><p>Luistro said the panel is expected to vote on probable cause after the Apri 29 hearing. If approved, the committee report may be finalized by May 4 and transmitted to the plenary. The full House could then vote by May 11 on whether to affirm or overturn the findings. <strong>—W</strong><strong>ith a report from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></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/X3C2uRITBQs?&amp;t=33s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/Ltwxp6lnjqA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/GARW5BW9izU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The House Committee on Justice is set to decide on the fate of impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte as it convenes its final hearing on April 29.</p>

The House Committee on Justice is set to decide on the fate of impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte as it convenes its final hearing on April 29.

House panel nears crucial vote on VP Sara impeachment; final hearing to focus on 'grave threats'

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House panel nears crucial vote on VP Sara impeachment; final hearing to focus on 'grave threats'

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 29, 2026 08:05 AM PHT

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Updated April 29, 2026 08:07 AM PHT

Read More:

April 29

Sara Duterte

Impeachment hearing

Threats

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