In a significant legal blow to the country’s second-highest official, the House Committee on Justice voted unanimously on Wednesday to advance the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Finding sufficient legal grounds to move forward, all 53 members present in the justice panel supported the motion, signaling a unified stance on the allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
The committee’s decision addressed two separate complaints, both of which secured identical 53-0 votes.
Presiding over the historic session, Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro confirmed the clean sweep of the ballots before the panel moved to consolidate the grievances into a single report.
”She confirmed that both complaints secured unanimous approval from the members present.”
This consolidation will serve as the foundation for the committee’s formal report, which Luistro noted is scheduled for finalization on May 4. Once finalized, the document will be elevated to the House plenary for a decisive vote.
The road to a Senate trial now depends on the broader membership of the chamber.
According to constitutional mandates, the articles of impeachment require the affirmative votes of at least one-third of the House—totaling 106 of the 318 incumbent representatives—to officially transmit the case to the Senate for trial.