The House Committee on Justice is set to begin its review this week of the two impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., as lawmakers weigh whether the cases meet the constitutional standards to move forward.

House Committee on Public Accounts Chair Terry Ridon (Bicol Saro Partylist) said the process will hinge strictly on evidence and legal requirements. Speaking at the Saturday Media Forum in Quezon City, the lawyer-lawmaker said the committee is ready to hear the complainants as proceedings formally open.

“On Monday, the Committee on Justice will tackle the two questions: sufficiency in form and sufficiency in substance, regarding the two impeachment complaints filed against President Marcos,” Ridon said.

He emphasized that the hearings give complainants the chance to present the basis of their accusations, but noted that portions of the complaints may fall short of the constitutional grounds required for impeachment.

“The committee will first tackle the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his trip to The Hague to face trial at the International Criminal Court,” Ridon said. “What the Executive did was implement a treaty between the Philippines and Interpol. In my view, there’s no impeachable offense here. It does not rise to a culpable violation of the Constitution. It does not amount to a betrayal of public trust.”

On claims involving unprogrammed appropriations, Ridon noted their long-standing inclusion in the national budget:

“Unprogrammed appropriations have been in the budget since 1989. I don’t think the Supreme Court has ever said this is unconstitutional,” he said. “It does not constitute a breach of public trust or a culpable violation of the Constitution. The burden remains on the complainants to make their case, which we will let them do next week.”

Ridon stressed that impeachment is a constitutional responsibility of Congress, grounded on facts and evidence, not speculation.

He also addressed the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, saying it could be filed “as is” since the Supreme Court ruling did not question its substance.

“The facts cited in the earlier complaint remain unchanged. We’re still talking about the use of confidential funds and death threats against the President, the First Lady, and the former House Speaker,” Ridon said. 

He added it’s unclear whether additional complaints will be filed this year.

House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chair Joel Chua (Manila) said the Supreme Court ruling addressed only technical issues and did not rule on the merits of the complaint.

“They did not decide the substance of the impeachment complaint. What we are talking about here are technicalities,” Chua said.

Both Ridon and Chua emphasized that impeachment is the sole prerogative of Congress, and decisions should be based on facts, evidence, and the conscience of House members. Chua noted that complaints may initially lack support but can gain momentum once lawmakers examine the substance.

“Many complaints start with little support, but once the substance is laid out, they gain backing,” Chua said, citing past cases, including the impeachments of former President Estrada and former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“The impeachment is the sole prerogative of the legislature,” Ridon added. “Proceedings will always be based on facts, evidence, and the conscience of every House member.”

The House formally referred the two verified impeachment complaints against President Marcos to the Committee on Justice last Monday, following their inclusion in the plenary’s Additional Reference of Business.

The first complaint, filed 19 January, was lodged by Atty. Andre R. de Jesus and endorsed by House Deputy Minority Leader Jernie Jett V. Nisay (Pusong Pinoy Partylist). 

The second complaint, filed 26 January, was submitted by a group led by Liza Largoza Maza, Teodoro A. Casiño, Renato Reyes Jr., Atty. Neri Colmenares, and labor leader Ronaldo “Ka Jerome” Adonis, and endorsed by ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio L. Tinio, Gabriela Rep. Sarah I. Elago, and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise M. Co.