The House of Representatives on Monday night formally referred two verified impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to the House Committee on Justice, marking the start of the chamber’s constitutionally mandated review process.
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, the son of the President, announced his recusal from impeachment-related proceedings due to a conflict of interest.
The filing of the second impeachment complaint on Monday, endorsed by the Makabayan bloc, coincided with the group’s disclosure that it intends to refile an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte once the one-year constitutional ban expires in February.
“Next week magfa-file kami, o magre-refile ng impeachment complaint laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte,” former Bayan Muna representative Liza Maza told ABS-CBN News.
The referral was made after the titles of the complaints were read on the floor and included in the plenary’s Additional Reference of Business.
Deputy Speaker Yevgeny Vicente Emano of Misamis Oriental presided over the session when the measures were referred to the Committee on Justice, which is tasked to determine the sufficiency in form and substance of impeachment complaints.
The first complaint, filed on January 19, was lodged by lawyer Andre De Jesus and endorsed by House Deputy Minority Leader and Pusong Pinoy Party-list Rep. Jernie Jett V. Nisay.
The second complaint, filed on Monday, was submitted by a group of activists and private individuals led by Liza Maza, Teodoro A. Casiño, Renato Reyes Jr., lawyer Neri Colmenares, and labor leader Ronaldo Adonis, among others.
It was endorsed by the Makabayan bloc made up of ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co.
House leaders stressed that the referral does not constitute a finding on the merits of the complaints, but merely initiates the committee-level review required under the Constitution and House rules.
They reiterated that impeachment is a constitutional mechanism governed by clear procedures and that all proceedings will be handled in accordance with due process and established parliamentary practice.
Amid the developments, Rep. Marcos said he would formally recuse himself from all discussions, deliberations, and proceedings of the House Committee on Rules related to the impeachment complaints, citing his relationship to the President.
“In view of the impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who is my father, I have decided to formally recuse myself,” he said in a statement.
Although House rules do not require his inhibition, Marcos said the move was necessary to avoid any perception of bias and to preserve the credibility of the House.
“In moments that test institutions, perception matters as much as procedure,” he said, adding that his recusal would help ensure fairness, objectivity, and legitimacy in the proceedings.
He stressed that he would continue performing his duties as House Majority Leader on all other matters and expressed confidence that the chamber would address the impeachment complaints with independence and fidelity to the Constitution.
“Our democracy is strongest when institutions are bigger than personalities, and when public servants choose principle over proximity,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maza also responded to Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s comment that it would be an “embarrassment before the world” if the country’s top two officials were both facing impeachment complaints, saying accountability should not be a source of shame.
“We should be proud if the people are able to impeach officials who are corrupt,” she said.
The Makabayan bloc had attempted to file its impeachment complaint last week but was unable to do so because House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil, the sole official authorized to receive impeachment complaints, was abroad on official business.
Vice President Duterte was impeached by the House in February last year over allegations of corruption, conspiracy to assassinate President Marcos, and involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City.
However, the Supreme Court later blocked the Senate trial and ruled the impeachment unconstitutional for violating the one-year ban on multiple impeachment proceedings, saying a new complaint may only be filed starting February 6, 2026.
Duterte has said she expects a possible refiling of impeachment complaints, which she has previously described as a “fundraising” effort by some lawmakers.
