Sara Duterte impeachment case: 2 complaints undergo House’s substance test

MANILA, Philippines – The House justice committee resumes deliberations on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, March 3.

The committee is now down to two petitions, from the original four.

The remaining petitions, one endorsed by Mamamayang Liberal Representative Leila de Lima and the other endorsed by Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega and Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr., passed the test of form on Monday, March 2, and will now undergo a so-called substance test.

Sufficiency in substance means the facts constituting the offenses charged are articulated properly.

If either complaint passes that test, the justice committee would send Duterte a copy of the complaint and give her the opportunity to answer the allegations.

If the House declares both complaints insufficient in substance, the latest effort to remove Duterte from office would be deemed dead, earning her the constitutional one-year protection from impeachment.

The issues raised against Duterte in the new impeachment drive remain the same — her alleged misuse of confidential funds, her alleged bribery of education officials, her alleged unexplained wealth, and her apparent threats to the life of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, among others.

The Vice President has issued blanket denials but has not responded in detail to each allegation. 

During Monday’s proceedings, the House “set aside” the complaint endorsed by Makabayan for having been filed days before February 6, which was the original date set by the Supreme Court as the expiry of the one-year bar against the Vice President.

Tindig Pilipinas, meanwhile, withdrew its complaint, supposedly to avoid further delays in the proceedings.

Bookmark this page for the livestream of day two of the impeachment proceedings at 10 am on Tuesday. – Rappler.com