Prosecutors handling the sedition charges against Vice President Sara Duterte have already drafted a resolution on the complaints, but it remains subject to review and approval by the division head before final action can be taken.

This was the indication from the Department of Justice (DOJ), as Justice Secretary Frederick Vida said the grave threats and inciting to sedition complaints against the embattled vice president remain pending.

He stressed that any criminal liability arising from the case is separate and distinct from the ongoing impeachment proceedings against her.

“Ang pag-aaral ng Department of Justice ng ating mga panel of prosecutors para dito ay may hiwalay na biyahe,” he said. “So, we will do what the law stated,” said Vida.

Despite the ongoing impeachment case, the status of the case remains unchanged, and the matter is still under review by government prosecutors.

Vida said that would remain the status of the case, adding that the reported resolution prepared remains under review.

“So, we just need to wait, di ba? As soon as we have something definite, we will let you know,” he added.

The complaints stem from statements allegedly made by Duterte in which she said she had instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez should an alleged plot against her succeed.

Later, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed complaints for grave threats and inciting to sedition before the DOJ after concluding that the statements constituted violations of the law.

However, Vida clarified that the criminal complaints and the impeachment case serve different purposes and operate independently of each other.

He said they have to look into the matter closely since the impeachment process is different.

Vida said impeachment is a constitutional mechanism designed to determine the accountability of impeachable officials, while criminal proceedings before the DOJ seek to establish liability under penal laws.

“That is the process of the impeachment case to hold accountable the impeachable officer if there’s basis and that is what the impeachment court is doing in the Senate,” said Vida.

On the other hand, the DOJ's determination of criminal liability is based on criminal law, and the two proceedings follow different tracks.

Vida said the DOJ panel handling the complaint would continue its evaluation independent of developments in the impeachment proceedings.

The vice president has denied making threats against the President, the First Lady, and the former Speaker, maintaining that her statements were taken out of context and describing the complaints against her as politically motivated.