THE House of Representatives on Monday voted to impeach Vice President Sara Z. Duterte for the second time, sending the case against the country’s second-highest official to the Senate for trial.
“With 257 members voting in the affirmative, 25 against, and nine abstentions, House Resolution No. 989, together with the findings, conclusions, and recommendations contained in Committee Report No. 261, is hereby adopted,” presiding officer Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand L. Hernandez announced after the nominal voting.
The approval elevates the impeachment case against Duterte to the Senate for trial, with senators expected to convene as an impeachment court.
It marked the second time the House voted to impeach Duterte, following the first impeachment complaint endorsed and transmitted by the chamber last year.
Duterte faces allegations involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, graft and corruption, and threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
Under the Constitution, the approval of at least one-third of all House members is sufficient to elevate an impeachment complaint to the Senate for trial.
Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor moved for the adoption of the resolution after plenary deliberations and interpellations concluded.
“There being no other member to interpolate a sponsor or make any manifestation, I move to adopt House Resolution No. 989 together with the findings, conclusions, and recommendations contained in Committee Report No. 261, and for this purpose, direct the Secretary General to call the roll of members for nominal voting,” Defensor said.
Hernandez then ordered the conduct of nominal voting and reminded lawmakers that the process would proceed without interruption.
“The Secretary General is hereby directed to call the roll of members for nominal voting,” said the House leader.
“The Chair reminds all members that the House is now in process of voting, and pursuant to the rules, the voting process shall not be interrupted at any other business or question,” he added.
Before the vote, House Committee on Justice Chair Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro framed the impeachment proceedings as a constitutional exercise rooted in accountability, urging lawmakers to allow the Senate to hear the case and examine the evidence presented during months of hearings.
“Ang hinihingi lamang natin ngayon ay ipagpatuloy ang proseso. Bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang Senado na dinggin ang buong katotohanan,” Luistro said.
She argued that the House had already fulfilled its constitutional role by determining the existence of probable cause and that the next stage of the process belonged to the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.
“Hayaan nating manaig ang ebidensya. Hayaan nating manaig ang proseso. Hayaan nating manaig ang Konstitusyon. At sa huli, hayaan nating manaig ang bayan,” Luistro said.
Luistro also stressed that Duterte would be given full opportunity to confront the accusations against her during the Senate trial.
“At sa Senado, naroon ang pagkakataon ng Bise Presidente na sagutin nang buo ang bawat alegasyon, iharap ang kanyang ebidensya, at marinig ng buong sambayanan ang kanyang panig.”
The House Committee on Justice earlier voted unanimously, 53-0, in finding probable cause to impeach Duterte and later unanimously approved, 55-0, the committee report and Articles of Impeachment for plenary consideration