An impeachment complaint was filed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday before the House of Representatives, a move that Malacanang downplayed as “baseless” as House leaders cautioned against using the process to “manufacture a crisis where none exists.”
The complainant, lawyer Andrei de Jesus, cited alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust as grounds for impeachment.
Malacañang said it respects the impeachment process even as Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said the complaint filed was “baseless.”
“The Palace recognizes that the filing of complaints is part of the democratic process provided for under our Constitution. We respect this process and trust that Congress, as a co-equal branch of government, will discharge its duties with honesty, integrity, and fidelity to the rule of law,” Malacañang said in a statement.
Castro added: “All of the President’s actions were in accordance with the law and the constitution. Thus, we can say that there is no basis at this time.”
The impeachment complaint was endorsed by Pusong Pinoy Party-list Rep. Jett Nisay, prompting Castro to note the irony that the endorser would be a lawmaker who was recommended to be charged with possible plunder and graft charges in connection with questionable flood control projects.
“What we know for now is that the party-list that endorsed the complaint is one of the eight contractors mentioned by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure,” she said.
The ICI and the Department of Public Works and Highways previously referred eight lawmakers – including Nisay who, prior to his election to the House, operated JVN Construction and Trading that had public works contracts in Central Luzon – to the Office of the Ombudsman,
De Jesus’ complaint pointed to several issues, including what he described as the President’s alleged failure to veto unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 national budget and the administration’s handling of alleged corruption tied to flood control and other projects.
It also cites as a ground Mr. Marcos’ role in allowing the transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which the complainant characterized as a deprivation of due process.
De Jesus said the number of lawmakers who may not support his complaint is “immaterial.”
“What I need to do, I have to do, so that is exactly why I’m here, irrespective of the possible turnout. But then again, miracles do happen. Who knows? The numbers might end up being in our favor,” he said.
“I am confident, however, that the House has the mechanisms, especially the House Committee on Justice, to handle matters of this sort. Impeachment complaints are nothing alien to the House of Representatives,” he added.
Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, for his part, said he sees no reason to justify the impeachment rap even as he assured the House will fulfill its mandate to act on and thoroughly study the complaint.
“The matter of impeachment is not a joke. It is a serious and thorough process. It is the responsibility of the House of Representatives, according to the Constitution, to accept and examine such grievances—and this should be done with utmost care and respect for the Constitution. It should not be used for politicization and cause disunity,” Dy said.
House Committee on Ways and Means chairman Miro Quimbo cautioned against using the impeachment process to stir instability rather than address genuine constitutional violations.
“The House stands for continuity of governance and respect for the will of the electorate…With two years left in the administration’s term, let us keep our government functioning smoothly instead of causing needless disruption,” he said.
“Impeachment is a remedy, not a weapon. It remains as a constitutional mechanism to address grave violations, but we cannot allow our constitutional processes to be hijacked by those seeking to manufacture crisis where none exists,” Quimbo added.
Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Justice, said the complaint will be handled under existing procedures while awaiting the final resolution of the chamber’s motion for reconsideration on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on impeachment proceedings.
“Impeachment is not evaluated in a vacuum. It is a constitutional process that ultimately requires broad institutional support and a clear showing of grave grounds to move forward,” he said.
“At present, the House reflects a clear supermajority across political parties that continues to support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the stability of his administration,” he added.
