NUP: We won’t back a weak impeachment complaint vs. VP Sara

The National Unity Party (NUP) on Monday said it won’t support a weak impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a statement, NUP Chairman and Antipolo First District Representative Ronaldo Puno said NUP has always taken such position of only supporting a rock-solid impeachment case against the Vice President.

Last week, the House Justice committee found both impeachment complaints against her sufficient both in form and in substance.

“Now that the House Committee on Justice has voted on the substance of the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, the National Unity Party urges the Committee to present new evidence and a stronger case as the hearings proceed. Impeachment is a serious constitutional process that must be anchored on clear, compelling, and credible evidence,” Puno said.

“In the absence of such evidence, it will be very difficult for members of the NUP  to vote in favor of transmitting the impeachment complaints to the Senate for trial. The NUP does not want to send a weak case to the Senate only for it to be summarily dismissed,” Puno added.

Puno said a weak impeachment case will only weaken the credibility of the impeachment process.

“Contrary to some news reports, we have not walked back on our previous statements regarding this impeachment. Our position remains consistent. We reiterate that we cannot vote in favor of a rehashed case resting on previously presented information that, in our opinion, remain weak and inconclusive,” Puno said.

“We will closely observe the hearings and carefully evaluate the evidence that will be presented. We hope the Committee will reveal stronger proof and, if warranted, the proverbial “smoking gun” that would justify elevating the matter to the Senate,” Puno added.

The NUP initially issued a statement that it wouldn’t support the impeachment complaints against Vice President Duterte if no new evidence is presented, but Puno later clarified that there is no party stand on the impeachment involving the Vice President just yet.

There are at least 40 NUP members in the House of Representatives, making the party the second largest next only to ruling party Lakas-CMD, which has at least 90 members.

The NUP members were among the at least 215 members of the House who voted on the impeachment of Vice President in February 2025, a case dismissed by the Supreme Court as illegal due to technicalities of violating the one-year bar rule and violation of the Vice President’s right to due process.

The refiled impeachment complaints in 2026 contain the same allegations in the 2025 case: that the Vice President committed betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, among others, over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential fund, and threat to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and his family, including her desire to remove the head of the chief executive.

The House justice panel already ordered the Vice President to answer the allegations against her within 10 calendar days since the notice was served to her last March 6. — BM, GMA Integrated News