VP Sara: no evidence for a new impeachment complaint

The House of Representatives during its session on Wednesday (5 February 2025) when 215 of its 306 members voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte. Photo from the HoR Facebook page

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 December) – Vice President Sara Duterte belittled the possible refiling of an impeachment complaint against her on or after February 6, 2026, saying there is no evidence to support it.

In an interview with reporters during her family’s “Pahalipay sa Pasko” at their ancestral house along Taal Road, Central Park Subdivision in Barangay Bangkal on Thursday, Duterte said the impeachment was merely intended to “threaten and harass” her.

She said the Filipino people have grown tired of the impeachment, which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in a decision promulgated on July 25 for violating the one-year bar rule and the right to due process in the Bill of Rights.

“Nakakapagod na siya para sa taong bayan yung impeachment na yan. Dahil nakikita  naman natin na wala talagang ebidensiya iyong kanilang mga reklamo. Totally for threats and harassment lang (That impeachment is already tiring for the people because we can see that there really is no evidence behind their complaints. It’s totally just for threats and harassment),” she said.

In a decision penned by SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the Court said it “is not absolving Vice President Duterte from any of the charges against her. But any subsequent impeachment complaint may only be filed starting February 6, 2026.”

Four impeachment complaints were filed against Duterte. The first three were filed by private individuals and different groups on December 2, 4, and 19, 2024, while the fourth was filed through a resolution approved by more than one-third of the House of Representatives on February 5, 2025.

The fourth complaint was transmitted as the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate on the same day.

According to the Court, the 19th Congress did not act on the first three endorsed complaints, which were considered “terminated or dismissed” upon the adjournment of the House.

The SC explained that the three impeachment complaints were archived and therefore deemed terminated or dismissed on February 5, 2025. 

“Therefore, no new impeachment complaint, if any, may be commenced earlier than February 6, 2026,” it held.

Under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the Constitution, “no impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year.”

The Court noted that the one-year bar is reckoned “from the time an impeachment complaint is dismissed or no longer viable.” 

Duterte, who has been at odds with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., dismissed the issues hurled against her as mere propaganda, which she said is related to her possible presidential bid in the 2028 general elections.

The Vice President, however, declined to confirm or deny reports that she visited former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said that Duterte visited Teves at his detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, and not her alleged bagman Ramil Madriaga.

Duterte also maintained that she does not know Madriaga.

“Wala akong iko-confirm at ide-deny Kung gusto nila sila ang magsalita sila. Basta ang sinasabi ko, hindi ko kilala si Ramil Madriaga (I won’t confirm or deny anything. If they want to speak, let them. What I am saying is that I do not know Ramil Madriaga),” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)