House leader hopes VP Duterte’s 2028 plans won’t affect solons’ vote on impeach raps

House justice panel chairperson Gerville Luistro is hopeful that her colleagues’ vote on the four impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte will not be affected by her plan to run for President in the 2028 elections.

The lawmaker made the remarks a day after the Vice President announced her political plans, which was followed by the filing of the fourth impeachment complaint against her on Thursday evening.

“I hope it will not affect. Kasi sana ma-realize ng mga members ng (Because we hope that the members of the) justice committee that this is a constitutional duty that we really have to face,” Luistro said in an interview over Balitanghali on Thursday.

“This is not a question of gusto ba namin o ayaw namin (whether we like it or not). This is not a question of pro-administration ba kami o pro-Duterte ba kami (whether we are pro-administration or pro-Duterte),” she added.

Luistro noted that voting on the sufficiency of the impeachment complaints against Duterte is a constitutional duty that the members of the House justice committee, and ultimately all House members, must fulfill, “when we already approve or disapprove the committee report of the justice committee.”

Election plans 'no free pass'

House Deputy Speaker and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V agreed that the House members have the constitutional mandate to probe the serious allegations against the Vice President.

“Let us be clear – running for President does not erase serious questions about asset disclosures and public funds. The timing speaks for itself,” he said.

Ortega added that unresolved issues surrounding confidential and intelligence funds, as well as allegations of incomplete Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), are governance concerns and not campaign talking points.

“Oversight is a constitutional duty. You cannot convert audit trails into campaign slogans. The impeachment process exists precisely to examine these questions,” he said.

“The Constitution is not suspended because someone declares candidacy. If there is nothing to hide, transparency should not be feared,” Ortega added.

For his part, House human rights panel chairperson and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. said the Vice President’s declaration of a presidential run is not a free pass and could possibly burden her in the long run.

“Her announcement would open Pandora’s box. It places the burden on the Vice President to address questions raised against her, as the public weighs what kind of leadership and direction she offers,” Abante said. 

“It is up to her to be able to explain to the Filipino people,” he added.

Ortega and Abante endorsed the fourth impeachment complaint against the Vice President that was filed on Wednesday night and transmitted to Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III on Thursday.

The latest impeachment complaint accused her of alleged betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, among others.

This was mainly over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million of confidential funds and the Vice President’s alleged threat to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his immediate family in a livestreamed press briefing in November 2024.

The Speaker, as provided by House rules, has 10 session days to include the impeachment complaints in the order of business for plenary action.

Once the House plenary refers the complaints to the House justice panel, an impeachment complaint is deemed initiated and the one-year ban on another impeachment complaint will take effect.

But if these complaints are not calendared by the Speaker’s office during the 10-session day period, an impeachment case is automatically deemed initiated and the one-year ban on another impeachment complaint will kick.

This is provided for in the July 2025 and January 2026 Supreme Court decisions that declared the 2025 impeachment case filed by the House against the Vice President as unconstitutional. 

On Wednesday, House Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor said the three impeachment complaints against Duterte will take the longer route and will be referred to the House justice panel to determine its sufficiency in form and substance. — JMA, GMA Integrated News