The House Committee on Justice on Monday voted overwhelmingly to adopt its committee report and accompanying resolution dismissing two impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for lack of substance.
The panel voted 39–4, with no abstentions, to approve the report, which formally junked the impeachment bids against the president, according to House Justice Committee chairperson and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro.
Before calling for the vote, Luistro reminded members of committee practice, noting that voting is limited to either approval or disapproval, while allowing members to explain nuanced positions afterward.
“By practice in the committee, it’s either we vote a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ Nevertheless, the members of the Justice Committee are given opportunity to manifest their record of vote in order to explain the partial voting of the member in case there is one,” she said.
Luistro further explained that some members had earlier taken differing positions on the two complaints during deliberations on sufficiency in substance with respect to the separate complaints filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus and former Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza, et. al.
House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima cast a “concur and dissent” vote, which Luistro noted. De Lima agreed with the committee’s finding that the complaint filed by De Jesus was insufficient in substance, but disagreed with the dismissal of the one filed by 36 petitioners led by Maza.
The committee’s action followed its February 4 decision to dismiss the two impeachment complaints after three days of marathon hearings. Lawmakers ruled that both complaints were “insufficient in substance” and did not merit further proceedings.
The committee voted 42-1 with three abstentions to approve a motion to declare the De Jesus complaint insufficient in substance.
House Deputy Minority Leader and Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice then moved that the panel find the Makabayan complaint sufficient in substance. This motion was defeated by a 39–7 vote, with no abstentions.
The complaints accused President Marcos of, among others, allegedly padding the national budget with projects intended to funnel funds to political allies, including supposed sham flood control projects.
Another allegation claimed that the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his transfer to the International Criminal Court amounted to kidnapping. A separate filing also cited unproven allegations of drug abuse against the President.
During the hearings, committee vice chairperson Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora said the complaints failed to establish any direct act by Marcos linking him to the alleged offenses.
“It is clear from the complaint that the President did not do any overt act that shows that he directed the alleged corruption,” Zamora said, adding that “having an imperfect policy direction is not an impeachable offense.”
Rep. Alyssa Gonzales echoed this view, saying the complaints did not demonstrate the President’s direct involvement in what was described as a “systematic scheme of corruption.”
“The President’s specific role was never disclosed or included in the allegations,” Gonzales said.
Under the Constitution, an impeachment complaint approved by the House would be transmitted to the Senate for trial, where conviction would result in removal from office and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
The committee action came just days after separate impeachment complaints were filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.
