Palace: President will respect process

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday said it would respect the impeachment process, adding that President Marcos “knows he did nothing wrong” and is “confident” that moves to oust him would not prosper.

“Well, that’s the process. We have to respect that,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a briefing, in response to Monday’s congressional hearing on the two impeachment complaints filed against the President.

“Even before, the President said that he knows he did nothing wrong, he did nothing illegal, and he did not commit any impeachable offense, so he is confident [that the complaints will be deemed insufficient in substance].”

The House committee on justice will determine today the substance of the complaints after they were found sufficient in form and effectively consolidated.

READ: De Jesus, Makabayan impeach raps vs Marcos deemed sufficient in form

Once deemed sufficient in substance, the complaints may be brought to the House plenary for possible endorsement—a crucial step before any impeachment case can be transmitted to the Senate for trial.

Castro also reiterated Malacañang’s previous statements that the impeachment complaints could negatively affect the country’s economy.

“The filing of an impeachment complaint against the President does not affect the President alone—it affects the entire country, including the economy,” she said.

“So the President is concerned about the impeachment complaint filed against him, not for himself, because he knows he did nothing wrong and committed no impeachable offense. Rather, he is worried about its impact on the economy,” Castro said.

‘No bearing’

Also on Monday, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro and other lawmakers said discussions on the impeachment complaint against Marcos would not be affected by the Supreme Court ruling dismissing as unconstitutional the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

At the House justice panel’s hearing, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Lordan Suan inquired if the proceedings would be affected by the high court’s July 25, 2025, decision, which it affirmed with finality on Jan. 28.

Luistro, committee chair, directed the question to the committee members, including the panel’s vice chair, San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, who said the decision “has no bearing, has no effect on the proceedings in this committee.” —WITH A REPORT FROM LUISA CABATO