Marilyn Cahatol

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ABS-CBN News

<div style="text-align:left"><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/177787006646220260218-vp-sara-duterte-presidency-MT5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="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. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">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. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>3rd </strong><strong>UPDATE</strong>)—  The House Committee on Justice on Monday approved its committee report finding probable cause in the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, sending it to the plenary for voting. </p><p>In a unanimous vote, all 55 present members of the panel voted to approve the committee report, after amendments were made during the Monday hearing. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/29/house-finds-probable-cause-duterte-impeachment-now-up-to-plenary-1618">READ: Sara Duterte impeachment now up to House plenary after panel finds probable cause</a></div><p>&quot;Let it be placed on the record that 55 out of 55 justice members physically present manifested their support to the approval of the committee report to the attached resolution setting forth the articles of impeachment as amended,&quot; Justice Committee Chair Gerville Luistro said. </p><p>The committee report contains the House Committee on Justice finding of  &quot;probable cause&quot; to impeach Duterte over alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption, and other high crimes, which were accused in the complaints filed by Fr. Joel Saballa et al. and Atty. Nathaniel Cabrera.</p><p>The Articles of Impeachment against Duterte have yet to be released to the media, but House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and ML Party List Representative Leila de Lima said it contains four articles against Duterte: her (1) alleged misuse of P612.5 million confidential funds, (2) alleged unexplained wealth and failure to truthfully disclose all her assets in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), (3) alleged bribery of Department of Education officials, and (4) grave threats and alleged contracting to assassinate the President, the First Lady and the former House Speaker.</p><p>The report will be submitted to the plenary and shall be calendared for consideration within 10 session days from receipt, as per Section 9 of the House Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings. </p><p>A copy of the committee report will also be provided to Duterte, as the respondent, as well as the complainants and Justice panel members. </p><div> </div><div><strong>AMENDMENTS</strong></div><p>Before its approval, the panel approved Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno&#x27;s motion to amend the wording in a part of the committee report, which he said &quot;states that there was a finding that the committee made that offenses were committed&quot; by Duterte. </p><p>Luistro repeatedly reiterated during the four-day clarificatory hearing that the House panel is supposed to only find probable cause for Duterte&#x27;s impeachment case to proceed, and not prove the allegations. </p><p>De Lima also moved for the committee report and articles of impeachment to include that Duterte &quot;failed to divest all her business interest based on the records of the Security and Exchange Commission during her tenure as vice president for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.&quot;</p><p>This was based on Duterte&#x27;s <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/7/house-panel-subpoenas-records-of-mary-grace-piattos-sara-duterte-taxes-1053">alleged link to Metro City Chow Foods Corporation</a>, where she was allegedly listed as a director from 2016 until 2025, overlapping with her term as vice president.</p><p>De Lima said this violates Section 13, Article 7 of the Constitution, which states that the vice president shall not directly or indirectly participate in any business during tenure.&quot; </p><p>The committee further approved ACT-Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio&#x27;s motion for changes in wording to clarify that the release of confidential funds was &quot;upon the instruction of the respondent.&quot;</p><p>The panel Wednesday last week agreed there was probable cause for Duterte&#x27;s impeachment case to proceed. The panel also voted to consolidate the two complaints.</p><p>House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor said it is possible for the House Committee on Rules to include the committee report in the order of business on Tuesday. He expects a plenary vote on impeachment on May 11th.</p><p>The Constitution requires at least one-third or 106 out of the 318 House members to vote for the articles of impeachment to be transmitted to the Senate, which will convene an impeachment court.</p><p>&quot;We are expecting the Vice President to be impeached next week. So &#x27;yung 106 is all but certain. It&#x27;s just a question of how many more votes we will get. And ang ineexpect namin, at the very best, mapantayan &#x27;yung 215 votes in last year&#x27;s impeachment,&quot; Bicol Saro Party List Representative Terry Ridon said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SENATE DECLARES READINESS</strong></div><p>Senate President Vicente Sotto III, speaking to reporters after their flag ceremony on Monday, said they were ready regardless of what happens to the impeachment complaint.<strong></strong></p><p>&quot;Ipasa nila o hindi, prepared kami,&quot; he said. &quot;Kaya nagkakaroon ng mga pagsisimula ng preparations so just in case makarating sa&#x27;min.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Ako personally, hindi ako nagmomonitor, sapagkat mas mabuting hindi ko naririnig yung mga pangyayari doon at manatili akong neutral,&quot; Sotto also said.</p><p>The Senate earlier said the impeachment trial may continue even after the Senate goes on a break on June 5. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/29/supreme-court-says-forthwith-in-impeachment-cases-means-within-reasonable-time-1655">READ: Supreme Court says &#x27;forthwith&#x27; in impeachment cases means &#x27;within reasonable time&#x27;</a></div><p>Sotto would be the first non-lawyer to preside over an impeachment trial, as the Senate President presides in the trials of all impeachable officials except for the President of the Philippines.</p><p>The complaints are grounded on various accusations against Duterte, including her alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth and a supposed assassination plot against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Duterte has repeatedly denied the allegations. -- <strong>w</strong><strong>ith reports from Vivienne Gulla and RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </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/JuPrpwBuNaI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div>

<p>The House Committee on Justice on Monday approved its committee report finding probable cause in the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.</p>

The House Committee on Justice on Monday approved its committee report finding probable cause in the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.

House justice panel OKs committee report 'setting forth' VP Sara impeachment

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House justice panel OKs committee report 'setting forth' VP Sara impeachment

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 04, 2026 11:37 AM PHT

|

Updated May 04, 2026 07:18 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

impeachment

House of Representatives

Committee on Justice

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