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Vice President Sara Duterte conducts a press conference in Mandaluyong on February 18, 2026.
STAR / Miguel de Guzman
MANILA, Philippines — Proceedings for the two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte pending at the House of Representatives will most likely last beyond Congress’ March 18 recess – whether she decides to defend herself or waive her right to file a response.
Both Reps. Gerville Luistro and Terry Ridon – chairperson and member of the House justice committee, respectively – said they will have to adjust their calendar even if, or most especially so, if Duterte skips her scheduled March 18 comment.
In an earlier interview, Luistro said that failure of the Duterte camp to submit a response would prompt the committee to proceed with its hearing on the cases on March 17 or 18, or ahead of the April 8 original schedule.
The April 8 hearing remains “tentative,” shortly after the panel found last March 4 that the complaints of Fr. Joel Saballa and attorney Nathaniel Cabrera were sufficient in form and substance, which gave Duterte the opportunity to refute the charges.
“The committee is just waiting for the VP’s answer. So, we will wait until the end of office hours of Monday (today, March 16), and then we will have to decide on what will be our next step,” Ridon, chairman of the committee on public accounts, said.
“In the event that she does not respond by Monday (today), the process will be shortened, abbreviated,” Ridon said. “It means, I think as early as the final weeks of this month, we can proceed on the determination of sufficiency, and hearing proper.”
In short, proceedings will move faster if the Vice President does not submit a response within the deadline.
Congress is expected to go on a Lenten break starting March 18, and will resume session on May 4.
If Duterte complies with the 10-day deadline for her to comment on the Saballa-Cabrera complaints, the justice committee will take a longer time to hear since due process requires congressmen-endorsers of the two impeachment complaints to submit their reply.
The panel will decide how to address the participation of two lawyers in Duterte’s team amid concerns they could be called as witnesses in the proceedings.
