Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. at the Saturday Media Forum held Feb. 21, 2026, at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City. (Photo by Joan Bondoc)
Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. expressed confidence on Saturday that the House of Representatives has the numbers to move forward with the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, saying the chamber is prepared to transmit the case to the Senate once procedural requirements are met.
Speaking at the Saturday Media Forum in Quezon City, Abante said securing the constitutionally required one-third vote of the 318-member House will not be a problem.
“More than enough, yes,” said Abante, who chairs the House Committee on Human Rights and endorsed the latest complaint.
He outlined the procedural path: the complaint, once formally filed with the Secretary General, is referred to the Speaker’s office, then to the Committee on Rules, and subsequently to the Committee on Justice. The justice panel is expected to deliberate for several days before the matter is elevated to the plenary for a vote.
After a favorable vote in plenary, Abante said, transmission to the Senate would follow immediately. “It will be transmitted directly to the Senate after the vote in the plenary. That is what could really happen,” he said.
The fourth impeachment complaint was filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and endorsed by Abante along with Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union’s First District. It adds to three earlier complaints already pending before the House.
Abante emphasized that the House would strictly observe constitutional parameters and Supreme Court rulings, particularly on the one-year bar rule governing impeachment filings.
“As for the status, the Chairman of the Committee on Justice said that there are 10 more session days. We have to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court. We cannot ignore that. Whatever the Supreme Court decides, which is the interpretation of the law, Congress must follow that,” he said.
For Abante, the endorsement is grounded not only in procedure but in substance. He cited his role as co-chair of the Quad Committee and as vice chair of the Good Government panel, both of which examined issues now reflected in the complaint.
“I saw it. That’s why I endorsed it because I believed in the complaint itself,” he said. “Our Vice President did not take an oath. She did not answer the allegations. Maybe if she answered, it would be okay. But now is the time for the Vice President to answer all the allegations. She has the opportunity now.”
The latest complaint centers on alleged discrepancies in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) and claims of unexplained wealth disproportionate to her lawful income. It accuses her of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, bribery, and other high crimes.
Among the issues cited is the reported rapid encashment of PHP125 million in December 2022, allegedly liquidated within 11 days. The complaint also references Commission on Audit findings that flagged irregularities and resulted in notices of suspension and disallowance amounting to PHP73.287 million in questioned expenditures.
Earlier impeachment complaints had raised concerns over Duterte’s public statements, the alleged misuse of confidential funds, and her refusal to recognize congressional oversight.
With four impeachment complaints now pending, the House must determine whether the allegations meet the constitutional threshold under Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, which governs the accountability of public officers.
If the complaint secures the required vote and is transmitted to the Senate, the upper chamber will sit as an impeachment court. Under the Constitution, the Vice President may be removed from office upon conviction.
