HOUSE Committee on Justice Chairperson Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro stated Tuesday that the House of Representatives will apply the same constitutional standards in evaluating impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte as it did in the impeachment cases against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Luistro made the statement after the plenary adopted the committee’s findings dismissing two impeachment complaints against the President for insufficiency in substance. She assured the public that the same parameters, deliberations, and approach used in handling the President’s impeachment complaints will be adopted for evaluating the sufficiency of the complaints against the Vice President.
However, Luistro stressed that the Justice Committee currently has no jurisdiction over the impeachment complaints against the Vice President, as none has been referred to the panel by the plenary. She noted that while she has heard of three complaints, the committee has not yet seen any of them.
Luistro explained that the impeachment complaints must first be referred by the plenary before the Justice Committee can act. The number of complaints taken up is solely for the plenary to decide.
Luistro also explained that the complaints against the Vice President were not taken up last Monday because they were still with the Office of the Speaker. The Office of the Speaker has 10 session days to include the impeachment complaints in the Order of Business, after which the plenary has three session days to refer them to the Justice Committee.
Luistro warned that failure to act within the prescribed period could trigger a Supreme Court (SC) ruling on impeachment timing. She stated that the Speaker must include the impeachment complaints in the order of business no later than March 2, 2026, otherwise, the SC resolution will take effect.
So far, three impeachment complaints have been filed against Vice President Duterte, all pending action by the plenary. The complaints accuse the Vice President of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution in connection with the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Luistro said the timing of the filing of impeachment complaints could become a central issue, citing differing SC pronouncements on the one-year ban rule. She anticipates a passionate debate on this issue once the Justice Committee acquires jurisdiction.
