House Justice Panel Dismisses Impeachment Cases Against President Marcos Jr.
The House Committee on Justice has formally dismissed two impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., following the approval of the committee’s report. The report concluded that the cases were insufficient in substance, lacking the necessary factual and legal grounding to proceed further.
Overwhelming Vote to Dismiss the Complaints
On Monday, February 9, 2026, the justice committee approved its report recommending the dismissal of the cases by a decisive 39-4 vote, with no abstentions recorded. This vote underscores the committee’s firm stance that the complaints did not meet the stringent requirements set forth under House impeachment rules.
Details of the Allegations in the Complaints
The two complaints, filed in January 2026, accused President Marcos of a range of alleged offenses. These included betrayal of public trust, corruption, constitutional violations, and policy misconduct tied to infrastructure funding schemes.
One complaint was filed on January 19 by Attorney Ande de Jesus. It cited grounds such as the alleged “kidnapping” of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his immediate transfer to foreign forces, despite fully functioning courts in the Philippines. Additionally, it accused Marcos of failing to safeguard Filipino interests when he signed into law national budgets involving questionable appropriations.
The complaints also leveled accusations against Marcos regarding his involvement in anomalous flood control projects. The second complaint, filed on January 26, focused specifically on betrayal of public trust stemming from the misuse of public funds for implementing these flood control initiatives.
Specific Impeachable Acts Cited
The second complaint accused President Marcos of committing three impeachable acts. These centered on the adoption of the Baselined-Balanced-Managed (BBM) Parametric Formula in allocating infrastructure projects. It alleged that this formula led to “ghost,” substandard, and overpriced flood mitigation projects, further compounding the accusations of misconduct.
Committee Chairperson’s Rationale for Dismissal
House justice committee chairperson and Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro earlier stated that the “nexus” between the factual allegations and the impeachable grounds against the President was not established in the complaints. She emphasized that the allegations were not based on personal knowledge or authentic records, which are essential requirements under the House impeachment rules. This lack of substantiation played a crucial role in the committee’s decision to dismiss the cases.
The dismissal marks a significant development in the political landscape, highlighting the challenges in pursuing impeachment proceedings without concrete evidence. It also reaffirms the procedural rigor applied by the House Committee on Justice in evaluating such serious charges against the nation’s highest official.
