House panel junks impeachment complaint vs Marcos
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives’ justice committee has formally dismissed the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., after 39 panel members approved the committee report.
During Monday’s hearing, the report was presented, prompting discussions after members of the Makabayan bloc questioned why it claimed the two complaints against Marcos lacked factual allegations.
The matter was eventually put to a vote, with only four members opposing the report.
Two complaints were filed against Marcos: the first by lawyer Andre de Jesus on January 19, and the second by members of the Makabayan Coalition on January 22.
READ: First impeachment complaint vs Marcos sent to House
On February 3, after referral to the Committee on Justice, both complaints were declared sufficient in form. However, a day later, they were deemed insufficient in substance. For the de Jesus complaint, 42 members voted to dismiss it, with only its endorser, Pusong Pinoy party-list Rep. Jernie Jett Nisay, voting to find it sufficient in substance.
For the Makabayan Coalition complaint, 39 members declared it insufficient in substance, while seven voted for its sufficiency.
Lawmakers criticized the de Jesus complaint for what they called fatal defects, saying its allegations relied largely on speculation, media reports, and hearsay. De Jesus sought Marcos’ removal over alleged drug use, corruption, and other acts lawmakers said lacked supporting evidence.
Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice said allegations that Marcos used illegal drugs were hearsay, and claims that the President created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to protect corrupt allies did not constitute impeachable offenses.
READ: ICI is a failure, but not an impeachable offense by Marcos – Erice
Erice said that although the ICI had failed following the resignation of key members, its creation did not constitute grounds for impeachment.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. echoed this view, noting that while the ICI should have had stronger investigative and subpoena powers, its establishment alone was not an impeachable act.
As early as January, several lawmakers had said the de Jesus complaint was weak and could be easily dismissed for lack of form and substance, prompting the Makabayan Coalition to file its own impeachment complaint.
The Makabayan complaint cited three grounds: the alleged institutionalization of corruption through the “BBM Parametric Formula,” alleged abuse of discretionary powers in the allocation and use of unprogrammed appropriations, and alleged direct personal involvement in budgetary insertions and kickback schemes.
READ: Makabayan impeach bid centers on ‘BBM Parametric Formula’
But during the hearing, committee vice chairperson and San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora questioned the sufficiency of the Makabayan complaint, saying that an imperfect policy such as the so-called BBM Parametric
