The House Committee on Justice is set to begin deliberations this week on the sufficiency in form and substance of the impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.

House Committee on Public Accounts Chairman Terry Ridon of the Bicol Saro Party-list said the process will focus on evidence and constitutional requirements as proceedings formally open.

Ridon said the committee is prepared to hear arguments from the complainants once hearings begin, giving them the opportunity to present the bases of their accusations against the President.

“On Monday the proceedings will be conducted by the House Committee on Justice. The committee is ready to hear the two questions, sufficiency in form and sufficiency in substance, nung dalawang impeachment complaints na filed laban kay Pangulong Ferdinand Bongbong R. Marcos Jr.,” Ridon said.

(“The two impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand Bongbong R. Marcos Jr. will be evaluated based on sufficiency in form and substance.”)

Addressing the substance of the allegations, Ridon said some portions of the complaints may fall short of the constitutional grounds required for impeachment.

He cited claims related to the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his transfer to The Hague to face proceedings before the International Criminal Court.

“The committee will first tackle the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his flight to The Hague to face trial under the International Criminal Court,” Ridon said. “Ang ginawa ng Executive ay pag-implement ng isang tratado sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at ng Interpol.”

(“What the Executive did was the implementation of a treaty between the Philippines and Interpol.”)

“So tingin ko walang impeachable offense sa ganyang bagay,” he added. “It does not rise to a culpable violation of the Constitution. It does not rise to a betrayal of public trust.”

(“I think there is no impeachable offense in that matter.”)

Ridon also addressed allegations involving unprogrammed appropriations, noting that such provisions have long been included in the national budget.

“Unprogrammed appropriations had been in the budget since 1989,” Ridon said. “I don’t think the Supreme Court had ever stated that this is an unconstitutional provision in the national budget.”

He said the burden remains on the complainants to establish that the allegations meet the constitutional threshold for impeachment.

“The impeachment is the sole prerogative ng legislature,” Ridon said. “Impeachment proceedings will always be based on facts, it will be based on evidence, and decisions relating to impeachment will be based on the conscience of every House Member.”

(“Impeachment is the sole prerogative of the legislature. Proceedings are based on facts, evidence, and the conscience of every House member.”)

The House of Representatives formally referred two verified impeachment complaints against President Marcos to the Committee on Justice on Monday night.

The first complaint, filed on 19 January 2026, was submitted by lawyer Andre R. De Jesus and endorsed by Deputy Minority Leader and Pusong Pinoy Party-list Rep. Jernie Jett V. Nisay.

The second complaint, filed on 26 January 2026, was lodged by a group of activists and private individuals led by Liza Largoza Maza, Teodoro A. Casiño, Renato Reyes Jr., Neri Colmenares, and labor leader Ronaldo “Ka Jerome” Adonis. It was endorsed by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio L. Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Sarah I. Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Louise M. Co.