Leaders of the House of Representatives downplayed the impeachment complaint filed by a pro-Duterte group against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., calling it a “political gimmick” aimed at diverting attention from the controversies surrounding Vice President Sara Duterte.

Speaker Martin Romualdez hinted that the attempt to remove Marcos from office will likely not progress, citing the congressional recess that currently prevents lawmakers from acting on the complaint.

“We’re not in session right now. So, not much can be done, right?” Romualdez told reporters in an ambush interview late Thursday in Tacloban, adding that complainants have to wait for the “proper time.”

Duterte Youth Partylist founder Ronald Cardema and his wife, former Rep. Marie Cardema, were supposed to file the first impeachment complaint against Marcos on Thursday. They accused the President of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for allowing former President Rodrigo Duterte to be transferred to the International Criminal Court.

However, the filing encountered a roadblock when House Secretary General Reginald Velasco — who is authorized to receive impeachment complaints — was unavailable. Velasco was reportedly attending a seminar and told DAILY TRIBUNE that official work in Congress will resume on Tuesday, after the elections.

The Cardemas said they will refile the impeachment complaint on the same day.

House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V and members of the Makabayan bloc — staunch critics of Vice President Duterte — dismissed the petition as “cheap” and a “publicity stunt” intended to shift attention away from the more serious impeachment case facing the Vice President, which includes allegations of graft and corruption.

They also questioned the timing of the filing, noting that the Cardema couple proceeded despite knowing that Congress was not in session.

“There’s no formal complaint yet, they’ve already shown it off to the media. This tells you everything you need to know — it’s not about justice, it’s about clout,” Ortega said.

“The timing of this impeachment bid is clearly calculated to divert public attention from the more substantive impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, which is backed by substantial evidence of corruption and abuse of power,” the Makabayan bloc added in a statement.

House Assistant Majority Leader Jude Acidre also expressed doubt that the impeachment complaint will gain traction, citing time constraints.

“The question is, there are only two weeks left after we return for the session; I don't know if there is enough time,” he said.

Congress is currently on a four-month recess for the 12 May elections and will reconvene on 2 June for only six session days. Afterward, the 19th Congress is scheduled to adjourn by the end of June. The tight timeline suggests the impeachment process may not move forward unless lawmakers act swiftly.

Given that the House is dominated by Marcos’ allies, the chances of the complaint progressing are slim. However, the process could be expedited if at least one-third — or 106 members — of the House endorse it, bypassing committee hearings and transmitting it directly to the Senate for trial.

This same route was used in the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte on 5 February and the late Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona on 12 December 2011.