NUP urges House panel to present new evidence in VP Sara impeachment

The leadership of the National Unity Party (NUP) strongly urged the House Committee on Justice to present new evidence and a stronger case on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte as the hearings proceed.

“Now that the House Committee on Justice has voted on the substance of the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, the National Unity Party urges the Committee to present new evidence and a stronger case as the hearings proceed,” said the NUP statement signed by House Deputy Speaker and Representative for the 1st District of Antipolo City Rep. Ronaldo V. Puno, NUP chairman.

The group said impeachment is a serious constitutional process that must be anchored on clear, compelling, and credible evidence. In the absence of such evidence, it will be very difficult for members of the National Unity Party to vote in favor of transmitting the impeachment complaints to the Senate for trial.

It further said, “The NUP does not want to send a weak case to the Senate only for it to be summarily dismissed. Doing so would only weaken the credibility of the impeachment process and diminish the gravity of this constitutional mechanism.”

Puno said that, contrary to some news reports, the NUP has not walked back on its previous statements regarding the impeachment.

“Our position remains consistent. We reiterate that we cannot vote in favor of a rehashed case resting on previously presented information that, in our opinion, remain weak and inconclusive. We will closely observe the hearings and carefully evaluate the evidence that will be presented. We hope the Committee will reveal stronger proof and, if warranted, the proverbial “smoking gun” that would justify elevating the matter to the Senate,” said the NUP statement.

The House of Representatives’ Committee on Justice declared the third and fourth impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte to be "sufficient in substance" on 4 March 2026.

The ruling indicates that the allegations in both complaints contain a "recital of facts" that, if proven true, constitute impeachable offenses, allowing the proceedings to move forward.

The third impeachment complaint was filed by a group of clergy members and lawyers led by Catholic priest Fr. Joel Saballa, while the fourth complaint was filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera.

Both complaints were deemed sufficient in substance with a 54–1–0 vote (54 in favor, 1 against, 0 abstentions).

Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay was the only lawmaker who voted against declaring the complaints sufficient in substance.