The first-ever impeachment complaint filed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is “dead on arrival,” House members said on Tuesday.

Caloocan City 2nd District Representative and Senior Deputy Minority Leader Edgar Erice echoed the sentiment, while Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative and House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong called the complaint “vague, shapeless, and formless,” saying it lacked substance and genuine grounds.

Adiong warned against treating an impeachment as a casual political tool.

“Yes, we have a supermajority. It’s still a numbers game, it’s also political,” he said, referring to the House’s current composition. “That’s why we’re saying that an impeachment is not a joke. It’s not a light matter that you can take up any time of the day.”

He stressed that an impeachment is a solemn constitutional duty that rests exclusively with the House.

“The process is a solemn duty that needs to be taken care of. It’s a constitutional mandate given exclusively to the House of Representatives. That’s why we have to take this very, very seriously,” Adiong said.

The lawmaker added that allegations against any impeachable official should not automatically trigger a complaint. “If there are concerns or issues that might hold the President or any impeachable officer accountable, you shouldn’t rush to file an impeachment complaint,” he said.

Adiong also warned that reckless or premature filings could harm the country’s international image and deter investor confidence.

The 12-page complaint, filed Monday by lawyer Andre de Jesus, cited allegations of illegal drug use and violations in the implementation of the budgets — claims that Malacañang said had long been addressed.

House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III called the complaint “unjustifiable.” Erice said he would not support the filing, labeling it as “garbage.”

Malacañang on Tuesday dismissed reports linking De Jesus to First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, calling the claims baseless.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said: “If that allegation is the only basis for filing the impeachment, then most likely they couldn’t find any other reason.”

She stressed the First Lady has never filed a disbarment case, has no legal ties to De Jesus, and any action he filed he did on his own.

Castro added that the administration respects the Constitution and due process, emphasizing that the President remains focused on governance and the ongoing investigations into government spending irregularities.

Adiong pointed out that the allegations largely rely on longstanding claims by vocal critics that had already been publicly aired, and no new verifiable evidence that meets constitutional standards has been raised.