Sara faces House impeachment grinder

The House of Representatives opens a high-stakes impeachment process Monday against Vice President Sara Duterte, as lawmakers begin screening four complaints that could send the country’s second-highest official to a Senate trial.

The House Committee on Justice will convene at 10 a.m. Monday to begin deliberations on four verified impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, formally launching the constitutional process that will determine whether the cases advance to a Senate trial.

Hearings are set from 2 to 4 March at the People’s Center of the House of Representatives, according to a notice issued by committee chair Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro.

At this stage, the panel’s agenda is limited to the “initial consideration” of the complaints, specifically whether they are sufficient in form and substance.

Luistro said the four complaints will be taken up in a single proceeding, with formal consolidation to follow only after a finding of probable cause.

“As to the physical consolidation, that will happen only after we have determined the existence of probable cause,” she said.

Under House rules, the committee must first rule on sufficiency in form, then sufficiency in substance. If the complaints pass both thresholds, the panel will issue a notice directing the vice president to file an answer within 10 calendar days.

A third needed

Complainants will then have three days to reply, followed by three days for the respondent to submit a rejoinder. If the panel finds sufficient basis, it will proceed to hearings where complainants, witnesses and the vice president may be invited.

The committee will then vote on probable cause, which requires a majority of all members. If at least one-third of the full House approves the committee report in plenary, the Articles of Impeachment will be transmitted to the Senate for trial.

Luistro said the vice president’s attendance at the hearings is optional and part of due process.

“Her presence at the hearing is part of her right to due process. If she does not appear at the hearing, it will be interpreted merely as a waiver of her right to be present,” she said, adding that Duterte “will definitely be invited,” but that appearing remains “her prerogative.”

The panel will apply the same procedures used in the previous impeachment proceedings against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., whose two impeachment complaints were dismissed for insufficiency in substance.

“Whatever procedures and parameters we used in the impeachment against the President, we will adopt the same with respect to our impeachment process against the Vice President,” Luistro said.

60 session days

The committee is required to complete its work within 60 session days and may continue hearings during congressional recess if necessary.

Filed separately by civil society leaders, progressive groups, clergy and members of the legal community, the complaints cite betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery and other high crimes under Article XI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution.

The first complaint, endorsed by the Makabayan bloc and signed by civil society leaders including former lawmakers France Castro and Neri Colmenares, alleges betrayal of public trust over Duterte’s use of P612.5 million in confidential funds, submission of allegedly fabricated reports to the Commission on Audit and refusal to recognize congressional oversight inquiries.

The second complaint, led by Tindig Pilipinas co-convener Kiko Aquino Dee and endorsed by Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña and Mamamayang Liberal Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima, contains five articles of impeachment.

It accuses Duterte of constitutional violations, graft and corruption, bribery and unexplained wealth, gross incompetence and abuse of power, and tolerating extrajudicial killings while allegedly aiding destabilization efforts against the government.

The third complaint, filed by priests, nuns and lawyers and also endorsed by De Lima, raises similar allegations over the alleged misuse of about P612 million in confidential funds and claims of corruption within the Department of Education during Duterte’s tenure as secretary.

It also revives accusations that she threatened to assassinate President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.

The fourth complaint, filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and endorsed by Deputy Speaker Francisco Paolo Ortega V and Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., centers on alleged omissions in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and claims of unexplained wealth disproportionate to lawful income.