The House Committee on Justice approved on Monday, May 4, 2026, the committee report and accompanying resolution containing the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, paving the way for a vote in the House plenary.
All 55 members of the committee approved the motion raised by House Deputy Speaker and Quezon's Second District Representative Jayjay Suarez, finalizing the panel’s earlier ruling that found probable cause in the two impeachment complaints against Duterte.
Consolidated Complaints
The panel consolidated the two impeachment complaints against Duterte, which similarly accused her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violations of the Constitution, and misuse of public funds. These charges are linked to alleged irregularities involving confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education during her tenure as secretary.
Also cited in the complaints were the threats Duterte allegedly made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Committee Chairperson's Statement
House justice committee chairperson and Batangas Second District Representative Gerville Luistro maintained that the committee followed the Constitution and honored the impeachment process.
“Let us, therefore, move forward with heavy hearts but clear minds. If the Vice President is guilty, let the truth convict her. If she is innocent, let the process clear her. But let it be done through the light of justice, not the shadows of silence,” she said.
Luistro expressed confidence that the panel was able to build a strong impeachment case against Duterte.
“We still have a long path to take toward the plenary and the Senate. But we are no longer groping in the dark. We have already uncovered many things, we have already revealed many details, and we will not let all of this go to waste. The process must continue, because this is what justice demands. Because only then can we truly achieve accountability,” she added.
Key Testimonies
Among the testimonies presented during the impeachment deliberation were:
Ramil Madriaga (Alleged former bagman of Duterte)
- Linked Manases Carpio, husband of Duterte, to the controversial 2018 shipment of magnetic lifters found to contain billions worth of illegal drugs.
- Stated that P125 million in confidential funds of the DepEd in 2022 was spent within only 24 hours, not 11 days as earlier reported.
- Alleged that Pharmally Pharmaceuticals and former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang were among those who funded Duterte's 2022 campaign.
- Accused the Duterte family of plotting a scheme to unseat or even execute President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Anti-Money Laundering Council
- Revealed P6,771,227,712.95 worth of covered and suspicious transactions in accounts linked to Duterte.
- Confirmed the existence of transactions allegedly linked to the Dutertes and alleged drug lord Sammy Uy.
Office of the Ombudsman
- Noted that despite an obvious rapid increase in net worth from 2019 to 2024, Duterte and Carpio have no reported cash on hand during that period.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV
- Accused the Duterte family of receiving around P181,653,487.36 from Uy, as well as having ill-gotten wealth.
The approval of the committee report sets the stage for the House plenary to vote on the impeachment articles. If the plenary votes in favor, the case will be transmitted to the Senate for trial.
