House panel consolidates Sara Duterte impeachment complaints
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives committee on justice on Wednesday moved to consolidate the two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte for a more efficient proceeding.
READ: House justice panel finds probable cause to impeach Sara Duterte
It was former Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila De Lima who moved to consolidate the third and fourth impeachment complaints filed by Fr. Jose Saballa et al. and by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera, respectively.
After the unanimous 53-0 vote of lawmakers agreeing that probable cause exists to impeach Duterte, De Lima said the justice panel must submit a resolution setting forth the Articles of Impeachment.
“Precisely for this reason, the Articles of Impeachment must be clear, complete, and consistent,” De Lima said.
The third impeachment complaint was filed by Fr. Jose Saballa and others and endorsed by ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, while the fourth complaint was lodged by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and endorsed by Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. and Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V.
The Saballa et al. complaint accuses Duterte of misusing confidential funds, submitting questionable liquidation documents, committing corruption during her tenure as Education secretary, and threatening to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
The fourth complaint alleges procurement irregularities, omissions, and “misdeclarations” in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth; unexplained wealth; and command responsibility for the alleged misuse of public funds.
De Lima noted that both impeachment complaints “rely on substantially the same evidence and witnesses and, taken together, establish the same impeachable offenses allegedly committed by the respondent.”
The lawmaker further said that consolidating the complaints would prevent duplication of the committee’s work.
“It will be of great help for a better and more efficient proceeding of the process if there is a clear, unified, and comprehensive presentation of the charges and findings,” she said.
House justice committee chairperson and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro granted De Lima’s motion to consolidate the two complaints.
READ: Sara Duterte camp: House ‘departed’ from design with impeachment move
A one-third vote of all House members is required before the endorsement of the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, which will act as the impeachment court.
If convicted, Duterte will be removed from office and barred from holding any public post.
Duterte is the first to announce her presidential bid in the 2028 elections. /mcm
