The House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, February 5, after 215 lawmakers endorsed the complaint—far exceeding the required threshold of 102 signatures, or one-third of the House membership.
Under the law, once the House approves an impeachment complaint, it is transmitted to the Senate, which will conduct a trial to determine whether the accused official should be removed from office.
The Senate Secretary General has instructed the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau (PRIB) to prepare for the possible transmittal of the impeachment complaint by 7 PM tonight. If transmitted, the Senate will proceed to hear the case against Duterte.
However, Senate President Francis Escudero has denied that the Senate is preparing for the impeachment process. He clarified that the Senate “cannot and will not assume anything until and unless it is a fact,” criticizing the PRIB’s statement as unauthorized and improper. Escudero attributed the remarks to an “over-eager staff” and emphasized that they did not reflect the Senate’s official position.
Impeachment Complaints
Three impeachment complaints were filed against Duterte, accusing her of misusing confidential funds, engaging in graft and corruption, and betraying public trust—all impeachable offenses under the 1987 Constitution.
The first complaint, led by Akbayan Party-List Representative Perci Cendaña, alleged that Duterte failed to account for ₱125 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in 2022. It also highlighted ₱7 billion in unliquidated cash advances during her tenure as Education Secretary. The complaint was supported by former peace adviser Teresita Quintos Deles and Catholic priests Flaviano Villanueva and Robert Reyes, who argued that Duterte undermined congressional oversight by refusing to attend budget hearings.
The second complaint, filed by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), focused on the alleged misuse of confidential funds. Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares asserted that Duterte’s actions constituted a serious betrayal of public trust.
A coalition of Catholic priests, civil society leaders, and lawyers submitted the third complaint, expanding the charges to include plunder, malversation, bribery, and graft and corruption. The 70-page document alleged that Duterte, while overseeing both the OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd), personally authorized the release of ₱125 million in confidential funds in 2022 and an additional ₱112.5 million in 2023.
House Findings
During House hearings, Gina Acosta, the OVP’s special disbursing officer, testified that she released ₱125 million in confidential funds to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, in December 2022. Similarly, DepEd SDO Edward Fajarda testified that he transferred ₱37.5 million in confidential funds to Col. Dennis Nolasco in early 2023. Both officials confirmed that Duterte had directly authorized the transactions.
The House initially delayed forwarding the impeachment complaints to Speaker Martin Romualdez, awaiting a potential fourth case. However, public pressure mounted as protesters gathered at the EDSA People Power Monument, demanding accountability and criticizing the delay in addressing the allegations.
With the House’s impeachment vote secured, the Senate is now tasked with conducting a trial to determine Duterte’s fate. The outcome of the trial will hinge on whether the Senate finds sufficient evidence to convict her on the charges.
