Key supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte made an attempt on Thursday to file the first-ever impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The complaint by Duterte Youth Partylist founder Ronald Cardema and his wife, former Rep. Marie Cardema, accuses Marcos of betraying the public trust for allowing Duterte’s transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) where he faces a charge of crimes against humanity linked to his controversial drug war.

The 26-page complaint outlines several allegations against Marcos, including violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

The petitioners said that by allowing the ICC to intervene, Marcos surrendered the country’s sovereignty, as Philippine courts should have exclusive jurisdiction over crimes committed in the country.

“President Marcos Jr. ceded sovereign control over a domestic legal matter to an international body that no longer holds jurisdiction over the Philippines,” the complaint stated.

According to the Cardemas, allowing the ICC to arrest Duterte for alleged crimes committed during his presidency is a direct violation of the Philippine Constitution, which vests jurisdiction over crimes committed in the Philippines exclusively in local courts.

They further argued that Marcos’ inaction on the matter was a failure to uphold his constitutional duty, accusing him of neglecting his responsibility to safeguard the national sovereignty.

However, the filing encountered a roadblock when House of Representatives Secretary General Reginald Velasco, who is mandated to receive impeachment complaints, was not available to accept the petition.

The Cardemas said that Velasco’s staff refused to accept the complaint, insisting that only the Secretary General himself could receive it. The Cardemas argued that this interpretation of the rule was incorrect and that any government office is required to accept documents as part of their ministerial duties.

In a statement, the Cardemas said, “It does not state that it should be the head office himself. It is a ministerial duty for any government office to receive documents.”

DAILY TRIBUNE reached out to Velasco for comment, but as of press time received no response.

The impeachment complaint is expected to be endorsed by Duterte Youth Rep. Drixie Cardema, the sister of Ronald. In their complaint, the Cardemas accused Marcos of politically persecuting Duterte by permitting the ICC to pursue its charges.

They argued that this decision constituted an overt abuse of power and an attempt to weaken Duterte’s political influence.

“By permitting the arrest under questionable legal grounds, President Marcos Jr. has effectively sanctioned an attack on the rule of law,” the complaint read, asserting that Marcos’ actions demonstrated a systemic disregard for fundamental civil liberties.

“His administration’s involvement — whether through direct command or through agencies acting under his control — demonstrates a systemic disregard for fundamental civil liberties.”

The petitioners also argued that Marcos’ failure to intervene in the matter, despite his awareness of the arrest, showed a deliberate act of willful negligence.

“Culpable violation of the Constitution, as an impeachable offense, requires a deliberate and wrongful breach of the fundamental law. President Marcos Jr.’s actions or willful inaction constituted precisely that,” the complaint stated.

Duterte, now 80 years old, was arrested on 11 March in Manila and has been in ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands, since then.

The charges against him stemmed from his controversial war on drugs during his time as Davao City mayor and later as president, spanning November 2011 to March 2019.