Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Representative Leila de Lima expressed confidence that the impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte is backed by sufficient grounds and impeachable offenses.
De Lima said the complainants are firm in their cause and believe the allegations can be proven once the case is taken up by the House Committee on Justice.
“First, we believe in the causes of the complainants. Second, we believe that there are sufficient grounds and impeachable offenses that could be proven during the hearings of the Committee on Justice,” de Lima said.
She clarified that the Supreme Court ruling which declared the earlier impeachment complaint against Duterte unconstitutional was based solely on procedural grounds, not on the substance of the accusations.
“Malinaw naman na ang pagdeklara ng Korte Suprema sa unang impeachment complaint as unconstitutional ay batay lang sa teknikalidad. Wala pa tayo sa merit o sa mga akusasyon na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nasasagot ni Sara Duterte,” she added.
According to de Lima, the newly endorsed impeachment complaint is largely similar to the previous one but has been strengthened to address earlier issues.
“Panagutin na si Sara Duterte, forthwith!” she said.
The impeachment complaint was endorsed by de Lima and Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña.
It was filed by a coalition of civil society groups led by Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Kiko Aquino Dee, Dr. Sylvia Estrada-Claudio, former Peace Secretary Teresita Deles, 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Fr. Flavie Villanueva, and Fr. Robert Reyes.