Tindig Pilipinas drops 2nd impeach rap vs Sara Duterte, backs 3rd complaint

The petitioners of the second impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte submitted their letter of withdrawal to the Office of the House Secretary General Monday morning. 

Kiko Aquino Dee, of Tindig Pilipinas and one of the complaints, said they are withdrawing their complaint and decided to give their support to the third impeachment complaint which, according to him, contains the same grounds as the one they submitted. 

He said this is to expedite the impeachment proceedings. 

"We believe this action will make the process towards accountability more expedient. We also would not want to provide any opportunity to VP Duterte's camp to question the schedule by which we have filed the complaint. Although we stand by the proper and timely filing of our complaint, in order to remove any obstacles against the process of seeking accountability and answers from Vice President Duterte, we believe it is most prudent to withdraw the said complaint," the complainants said in a letter to Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, Committee on Justice chairperson. 

The private complainants were accompanied by Akbayan Partylist Rep. Perci Cendaña and ML Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima who both manifested their support for the third impeachment complaint against Duterte.

“We respectfully withdraw our endorsement before the Committee considering that the complainants previously issued a statement on their withdrawal of said complaint on 01 March 2026. We further manifest our support for the third Impeachment Complaint filed by Rev. Fr. Joel Saballa et al, and endorsed by herein Rep. Leila De Lima, the contents and import of which are very similar to the second complaint,” the lawmakers who endorsed the second  complaint said,"  the lawmakers said in a separate letter to Luistro. 

“The complainants in the 2nd/Dee, et al. Impeachment Complaint have decided to formally withdraw their complaint in the interest of procedural expediency and to obviate any needless delay or detour that may detract from the process of seeking accountability. We decided that withdrawal is the best course of action. Moving forward, we aim to actively participate in the proceedings,” they added.

The House committee on justice is set to deliberate on the merits of the impeachment complaints against the Vice President on Monday, March 2.

Not a political performance

Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III of Isabela, in a separate statement also on Monday, said the impeachment process is no political tool but a constitutional mandate.

“As Speaker of the House, I want to be clear about one thing: this is a constitutional process. It is not a political performance, and it is not a venue for trial by publicity. Under our Constitution, the House of Representatives has the solemn duty to determine whether impeachment complaints are sufficient in form and substance,” he said.

“That responsibility rests primarily with the Committee on Justice, under the leadership of Chairperson Gerville Luistro. It is not about taking sides. It is about upholding the Constitution. Impeachment is not about personalities. It is about institutions,” he added.

Likewise, Dy assured the public that the committee will follow established House rules because every elected official, including the Vice President, deserves due process.

The complainants who have invoked a constitutional mechanism, Dy said, are are entitled to have their filings addressed in accordance with the law.

“My role as Speaker is not to pre-judge the outcome, nor to influence the committee's deliberations. My responsibility is to ensure that the House functions with professionalism, order, and fidelity to the Constitution. We will allow the process to take its course fairly lawfully, and transparently,” he added. — with a report from Llanesca Panti/AOL, GMA Integrated News