
In a historic move, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, garnering 215 signatures — well over the one-third threshold required for the impeachment complaint to proceed to the Senate.
The decisive move, which saw nearly 71 percent of the 306 House members backing impeachment, sends a strong political signal ahead of the Senate trial. The list of signatories, produced online, revealed a broad coalition of lawmakers supporting the measure, including members from Mindanao, the Ilocos bloc, the Visayan bloc, and various party-list representatives.
Mindanao lawmakers who signed: 41
Ilocos bloc representatives who signed: 9
Visayan bloc representatives who signed: 34
Party-list representatives who signed: 14
Among the most notable signatories was presidential son and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, whose decision to back the impeachment has raised speculation about a possible shift in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s stance regarding his 2022 running mate.
Political analysts believe Sandro Marcos’ signature on the impeachment document could indicate a recalibration of the Marcos-Duterte alliance, which had formed the foundation of the UniTeam coalition during the last election cycle. While Malacañang has yet to issue a statement, the younger Marcos' participation in the move suggests the administration may not be opposed to the Vice President’s removal.
A total of 41 out of 60 Mindanao lawmakers endorsed the impeachment, reflecting significant regional backing. The strong support from Mindanao is particularly notable given that Duterte hails from Davao. In the Davao region, only Davao del Sur Rep. John Tracy Cagas signed, while in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), seven out of eight lawmakers backed the complaint, with Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman as the lone exception.
Among the party-list representatives, 14 signed the complaint, including Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Romualdez, 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, and PHILRECA Party-list Rep. Presley De Jesus.
The Ilocos bloc, known for its close ties to the Marcos administration, saw nine out of 12 signatures. The Visayan bloc also played a significant role, with 34 Visayan representatives supporting the move.
Several lawmakers who abstained from signing have relatives in the Senate, which will serve as the impeachment court should the case proceed to trial. These include House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar, whose mother is Sen. Cynthia Villar, and the Revilla lawmakers, whose father is Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.
House leaders cited various grounds for the impeachment, but the final decision now rests with the Senate, where two-thirds of the 24 senators must vote in favor to convict and remove Duterte from office. A trial date has yet to be set, but political observers anticipate intense deliberations as the case progresses.
All eyes are now on the Senate as it prepares for what could be one of the most consequential trials in recent Philippine political history.