BATANGAS Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro on Thursday said the House Committee on Justice is moving to send only one consolidated Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the plenary, a step she said would follow the panel’s probable-cause finding and the consolidation motion adopted in committee.
With two separate overwhelming 53-vote tallies, the panel on April 29 unanimously found probable cause in both impeachment complaints against Duterte.
Current reporting has since shifted to the next steps, including potential plenary action, the committee’s May 4 schedule, and the need to allow House members sufficient time to review and study the case materials.
“Kagaya po ng ating naging order sa committee, magkakaroon po tayo ng pagdinig ngayong darating na May 4, 2026 at 10 o’clock in the morning that is at the People’s Center as well Ito ay kaugnay ng pag-aapruba ng ating ipinahahanda na committee report along with the resolution setting forth the Articles of Impeachment,” Luistro said in an interview on Unang Hirit over GMA 7.
“Maidagdag ko lang, kahapon napanood rin ninyo nag-motion si Cong. Leila De Lima for consolidation,” Luistro noted.
That motion, she said, has already given the committee a procedural direction that simplifies what the House will ultimately have to consider.
“So dalawang impeachment complaint Saballa at Cabrera lahat ng allegations dito i-consolidate na under one articles of impeachment,” Luistro explained.
“We can have one articles of impeachment only before the committee and we can transmit one articles of impeachment only as well,” Luistro added.
“We can transmit only one to the plenary,” Luistro stressed.
She said she expects the committee to transmit its work on May 4, after which the next move will shift to the full House.
“Well, as to when, I can only speak for myself. Magta-transmit kami on May 4 and then I anticipate that the plenary will be transmitting these documents to all the members of the House of Representatives,” Luistro said.
Luistro then underscored that a plenary vote cannot be rushed simply for spectacle because the members of the House must first receive and study the articles and their supporting materials.
“So after giving them reasonable time to study the articles of impeachment and all the documents the plenary should be ready to vote. As to when, it will depend on the plenary,” Luistro said.
She said what matters first is not speed for its own sake but compliance with the requirement that both the Vice President and House members be equipped to make an informed choice.
“Ang mahalaga magpagpadala muna sila ng kopya ng mga dokumento ito most especially to the Vice President and members of the House of Representatives for them to be able to come up with an informed decision,” Luistro said.
She tied that approach to Supreme Court guidance, saying the House cannot validly vote without first giving its members sufficient time to examine the articles and the accompanying evidence.
“Ang nilalaman ng Supreme Court decision sa kasong Duterte vs. House of Representatives, dapat pagkalooban ng sapat na panahon ang mga miyembro ng House of Representatives upang mapag-aralan nila ang articles of impeachment along with attached documents and evidence bago sila bomoto dito,” Luistro said.
