House panel sets aside 1st impeach rap vs. VP Sara for violating 1-year bar rule

The House committee on justice voted Monday to set aside the first impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte for violating the one-year bar rule that only allows initiation of one impeachment proceedings against an official per year.

This happened after the House justice panel, via a 22-10 vote, approved the motion put forward by Bukidnon Rep. Keith Flores to set aside the first complaint endorsed by the Makabayan lawmakers. 

This complaint accused the Vice President of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, among others, over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential fund..

“By setting [it] aside, it means it will be no longer be included in the proceedings of this committee,” House justice panel chairperson Gerville Luistro said.

This means that only two impeachment complaints against the Vice President are left, since the second complaint was withdrawn by Tindig Pilipinas to support the third complaint with same allegations.

The first impeachment complaint was filed by former ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, among others, on February 2.

The second impeachment complaint was filed by opposition coalition Tindig Pilipinas last February 2, but the group formally withdrew its complaint on Monday to support the third complaint filed by Catholic priests, religious leaders and other lawyers.

The first, second, third and fourth complaints all mainly allege that the Vice President committed betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, bribery, other high crimes, among others over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million of confidential funds and using them as bribes, as well as the Vice President's apparent threat to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his immediate family as seen in an expletive-filled video.

House justice panel vice chairman and San Juan Representative Belle Zamora also clarified on Monday that setting aside the Makabayan-backed impeachment complaint does not affect the merits of the third and fourth impeachment complaints that were found sufficient in form by the House committee on justice.

“There was no ruling on the merits. The setting aside of the first complaint and the withdrawal of the second complaint are not tantamount to dismissal based on the merits,” Zamora said in a press conference.

“In fact, the endorsers of the first and second complaint said that they are supporting and are joining the deliberations of the third and fourth impeachment complaints,” Zamora added.

The House of Representatives impeached the Vice President last February 2025, but it was later ruled illegal by the Supreme Court for violation of the one-year bar rule. —AOL, GMA Integrated News