MANILA: The House of Representatives is ready to accept impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte (pic) starting February 6, 2026, Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon said on Saturday (Jan 31).
The Supreme Court (SC) recently upheld the unconstitutionality of the impeachment articles against Duterte, as it earlier ruled that the complaint was barred by a one-year period where no official must face more than one impeachment proceeding in the same year.
The court ruled that the fourth impeachment complaint, which was transmitted to the Senate on February 5, 2025, was prohibited under the Article XI, Section 3 (5) of the 1987 Constitution, which states that “no impeachment shall be initiated against the same person more than once within a period of one year.”
The first three complaints, filed separately in December 2024, were lodged by verified complainants endorsed by several House members, while the fourth was filed through a resolution, which was favored by 215 House members.
With the latest decision of the SC, Ridon said that the high court lifted its “restrictive due process requirements” in its earlier ruling, where it no longer requires advance notice and copies of evidence to be sent to the impeachable officers at the filing stage.
Ridon added that the new rule places the “notice burden” on the House members, moving through the express route or the process without slowing down on constitutionally recognised acts to initiate measures. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
