House says impeachment to VP Sara may be refiled

By: Aliahcorr Balanon
February 02, 2026
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Members of Tindig Pilipinas, led by Kiko Aquino Dee, Ging Deles, and Fr. Flavie Villanueva, file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on February 2, 2026. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Cellona | ABS-CBN News

Public Accounts chairperson on House Committee Terry Ridon said that the impeachment to Vice President Sara Duterte last year may be refiled “as is,” due to there is no debate regarding the form and substance.

The House of Representatives impeached VP Sara Duterte on Feb. 5, 2025 with 215 congressmen endorsing the verified complaint against her, which has been transmitted to the Senate for her impeachment trial.

Duterte was moved to impeach “based on the grounds of Culpable Violation of the Constitution, Betrayal of the Public Trust, Graft and Corruption, and Other High Crimes,” according to the complaint approved by the House plenary.

These three impeachment complaints were not included in the complaint backed by House members, instead, these three complaints were archived.

The impeachment complaint provides for seven Articles of Impeachment, namely:

1. conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez;
2. malversation of P612.5 Million in confidential funds with questionable liquidation documents;
3. bribery and corruption in the DepEd during Duterte’s tenure by handing out cash to former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado (Procurement Head), Bids and Awards Committee Member Resty Osias, DepEd Chief Accountant Rhunna Catalan and Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda;
4. unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets in the Vice President’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) where her wealth increased by four times from 2007 to 2017;
5. involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City;
6. destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder efforts, which include: boycotting the State of the Nation Address (SONA) while declaring herself “designated survivor,” leading rallies calling for Marcos’ resignation, obstructing congressional investigations by ordering subordinates not to comply with subpoenas, threatening bodily harm against the First Couple and Romualdez, among others;
7. the totality of the Vice President’s conduct as the second highest official of the land.

Meanwhile, Ridon pointed out that the Supreme Court’s ruling that was reaffirmed on Thursday, Jan. 29, declared the Articles of Impeachment against the vice president as unconstitutional does not touch the substance of the case.

“Oo, pwede po i-file as is po ‘yan sa totoo lang kasi wala naman hong debate sa form, wala pong debate sa substansta,” Bicol Saro Party list representative said in a news forum.

Ridon said that the facts cited in the earlier complaint remain the same, however, it remains unclear if there will be an additional complaint this time.

“So in a refiling of Vice President impeachment case, I don't think the facts have changed from last year. We're still going to be talking about the use of confidential funds and death threats against the President, the First Lady and the former House Speaker. Hindi lang ako sigurado kung may mga additional basis for an impeachment this year,” he added.

The Supreme Court (SC) dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of the Representatives in connection with the Court’s July 2025 ruling that found the impeachment complaint unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar rule and Duterte's right to due process.

In resolution, the SC affirmed that the House has the sole prerogative to initiate impeachment complaints and promulgate its rule.

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