The House Committee on Justice is set on Monday to formally adopt its report recommending the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte and elevate the proposed articles of impeachment to the plenary for deliberation by the 318-member chamber.
Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, chair of the justice panel, said the committee had completed its constitutional mandate after reviewing evidence presented during a month-long inquiry, adding that the next step was for the full House to act on the findings.
Last week, 53 lawmakers unanimously voted that the complaints against Duterte were supported by sufficient documentary evidence, financial records, and sworn testimonies presented during a series of hearings.
Luistro said the panel’s findings were anchored on official records and verified submissions, noting that the case was built on numbers, documents, and testimonies that, taken together, pointed to issues requiring accountability.
Political analysts said the House appeared likely to secure the minimum votes needed to advance the case, although matching the 215 lawmakers who supported Duterte’s impeachment last year may prove more difficult amid shifting alliances and political realignments.
At least 106 votes are needed for the articles of impeachment to be transmitted to the Senate, which will convene as an impeachment court. A conviction could remove Duterte from office and permanently bar her from holding public office.
Among the evidence presented before the committee were reports from the Commission on Audit on Duterte’s spending of confidential funds, bank transaction records involving billions of pesos, and sworn statements from witnesses, including a former campaign supporter who claimed he had delivered bags of cash on her behalf.
Former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III also urged senators to proceed with the trial without delay, saying senator-judges were duty-bound to weigh the evidence fairly and render a decision based on the merits of the case.