Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro has characterized the evidence against Vice President Sara Duterte as overwhelmingly robust, stating that all cited grounds for impeachment are supported by findings from recent legislative inquiries.
In a television interview, Luistro, who chairs the House Committee on Justice, declined to single out a “strongest” charge, asserting that each allegation carries significant weight.
“All of them are strong eh, strong grounds to impeach the Vice President,” Luistro said.
The lawmaker highlighted key testimonies and reports that surfaced during the committee’s clarificatory hearings.
She pointed to a Commission on Audit (COA) disclosure affirming that a ₱73 million disallowance for the 2022 confidential funds is now final.
Additionally, Luistro noted that three separate notices of disallowance have been issued regarding ₱375 million in confidential funds utilized between February and September 2023.
Beyond fiscal mismanagement, Luistro cited admissions from within the Department of Education (DepEd) as a primary basis for bribery allegations.
“With regards to bribery, you will remember this was expressly admitted by the three officials of the DepEd,” she stated.
The issue of unexplained wealth also remains a central pillar of the case. Luistro described a “telling” disparity between the Vice President’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) and reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The AMLC reportedly flagged ₱6.7 billion in transactions tied to the bank accounts of Duterte and her husband, Atty. Mans Carpio—a figure Luistro believes will be difficult to justify.
“Pagdating naman dito sa unexplained wealth very much telling yung SALN versus the AMLC report. There is really a big disparity which I do not even know how the Vice President will be able to explain that. Napakalaking disparity between the SALN presented by the Ombudsman and the covered transactions and suspicious transactions presented by the AMLC,” the lawmaker added.
Regarding the charge of grave threats, Luistro referenced a widely circulated video where the Vice President purportedly threatened the lives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and the former House Speaker.
“Pagdating naman dito sa grave threat, I totally agree with Congw. Leila de Lima that the video itself is the best evidence of the threat committed by the Vice President…. the video speaks for itself,” she said.
The House Committee on Justice is scheduled to meet on May 4 to approve and formally submit its consolidated report to the plenary.
Under the 1987 Constitution, a vote of at least one-third of the total House membership—currently 106 out of 318 members—is required to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. During the committee’s preliminary vote on probable cause, 53 members voted in favor of the motion with no objections.