The House Committee on Justice will open the hearing proper on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, marking a critical turning point as proceedings formally move toward the presentation of evidence and witnesses.
The Vice President has received the invitation to attend the hearing, but her camp has yet to confirm whether she will appear.
Her defense team earlier said there is no requirement under existing rules for her to personally attend, adding that any decision will depend on her rights and legal advice.
The committee, chaired by Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, will convene at 10:00 a.m. at the People’s Center, House of Representatives, where it is set to lay down ground rules, tackle key motions, and initiate hearings on the complaints ahead of the evidentiary phase.
Under the agenda, the panel will proceed to the initial hearing on the two remaining complaints—the third and fourth impeachment complaints against the Vice President.
The third complaint was filed by Rev. Fr. Joel Saballa and endorsed by ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, while the fourth complaint was filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and endorsed by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Deputy Speaker Francisco Paolo Ortega V.
The committee will also act on pending motions, including requests for the issuance of subpoenas for documents.
Also up for resolution is the petition to place under the panel’s custody a key witness, Ramil Madriaga, who claims to be a former “bagman” of the Vice President, as well as the issue of an alleged conflict of interest involving two members of Duterte’s legal team.
Luistro said the panel is prepared to move swiftly into the evidentiary phase once these matters are resolved.
“If the complainants are ready, we can actually proceed to the presentation of evidence and witnesses,” Luistro said.
“We are prosecutors here. So, the justice members will study all the evidence presented by the complainant and the respondent,” she added.
Luistro emphasized that the proceedings will remain strictly rules-based, with only committee members allowed to conduct cross-examination of witnesses.
The hearing proper follows the committee’s finding of sufficient grounds to proceed on the two remaining impeachment complaints, effectively closing the determination stage and advancing the case to full hearings.
The complaints include allegations of misuse of confidential and intelligence funds, unexplained wealth, violations of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) requirements, bribery, and an alleged threat against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
The justice panel was authorized by the House plenary to continue its proceedings even during the congressional recess, ensuring the uninterrupted conduct of the impeachment process.
It has set subsequent hearing dates on April 14, April 22, and April 29, when the panel is expected to continue receiving evidence and testimonies from both sides.
Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, chair of the House Committee on Public Accounts and a member of the justice panel, underscored that the proceedings are anchored on evidence and official findings, rejecting claims that the complaints are speculative.
“But we have to be very clear—everything that has been discussed previously is not based on speculation; these are based on evidence,” Ridon said. “It is not true that all of these are based on conjecture.”
“This is not speculation. These are official audit findings,” he added, citing COA reports and prior congressional proceedings.
