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Jose Rodel Clapano - The Philippine Star
February 25, 2026 | 12:00am
Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for president in the 2028 general elections, at a press conference in Mandaluyong.
MIGUEL DE GUZMAN
MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on justice will begin deliberations on the four impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte on March 2, 3 and 4.
“That is Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, at least for the purpose of determining sufficiency in form and substance,” justice committee chair Gerville Luistro told reporters yesterday.
“Initially, I wish to advance that we are inclined to continue the hearing even during recess,” she added.
Luistro said if the committee’s deliberations on sufficiency in form are finished by March 2, they will move for the determination of the sufficiency in substance the next day.
“But if not, we can continue the deliberation on the succeeding day,” Luistro said.
She said the panel could not begin this week as it needed time to reproduce the complaints and distribute copies to all committee members.
She clarified that while the four complaints would be taken up in a single impeachment proceeding, they would not be physically consolidated at the outset.
“For clarity, what we mean in the consolidation is because we will be deliberating on the four impeachment complaints in one impeachment proceeding. But as to the physical consolidation, that will happen only after we have determined the existence of probable cause,” Luistro explained.
The Batangas lawmaker also outlined the five-step process the committee would follow, beginning with the determination of sufficiency in form and sufficiency in substance.
“We will be determining sufficiency in form and substance on the entirety of the impeachment complaint. We will do our deliberation per impeachment complaint. We will also tackle per ground, but when we vote, our vote will be based on the entirety of the impeachment complaint,” Luistro said.
If the complaints pass both standards, she said the respondent will be given 10 calendar days to file an answer, after which the complainant may reply within three days and the respondent may file a rejoinder within another three days.
The panel will then proceed to a hearing proper before voting on probable cause, Luistro said.
Longer timeline
Luistro acknowledged that the proceedings could take longer than the previous impeachment deliberations against the President, citing the number of complaints and possible grounds involved.
Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua also confirmed the longer timeline involved because of the amount of work and scrutiny necessary.
He added that the public must remember that impeachment proceedings in the House are not the trial.
“The House performs a function similar to a preliminary investigation, determining whether there is sufficient basis to proceed. The actual trial happens in the Senate. Due process will be strictly observed at the committee level,” Chua said.
No lawyers
Meanwhile, Luistro clarified key procedural issues ahead of the justice committee deliberations on the Vice President’s impeachment case, including the absence of a rule allowing her lawyers to be present during the hearings.
“The participation of lawyers is not in the rules. It will only be the members of the justice committee who will participate in the deliberation,” she noted.
Luistro added that any request from the Vice President’s lawyers would still be subject to the panel’s collective decision.
