Luistro urges lawmakers to prioritize country’s best interest when casting impeachment vote
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 May) — Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro, chair of the Committee on Justice, urged fellow lawmakers to prioritize “the best interest of the country” in voting for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte during the plenary session on Monday, May 11.
In an interview during the “Saturday News Forum,” streamed live on the YouTube channel of the House of Representatives, Luistro said she expects strong opposition from Duterte’s supporters, particularly regarding her committee’s handling of the proceedings, which resulted in the finding of probable cause for the removal of the Vice President from office.
But Luistro maintained that a thorough deliberation among House members, even potential dissent from members affiliated with the Vice President, is part of “due process.”
“We will anticipate that there will be debate, and insofar as our findings of probable cause are concerned. We can also anticipate that the proceedings that we had in the Justice Committee might be questioned by some of the members of the House, but we will be responding to all the questions of the House members,” she said.
Luistro noted that some House members who voted in favor of the previous articles of impeachment against Duterte in 2025 may have since changed their position on supporting the new impeachment case, but added that “what lawmakers must keep in mind is the best interest of the Philippine nation.”
During the 19th Congress, four impeachment complaints were filed against the Vice President. The first three impeachment complaints were filed in accordance with the first mode of initiating an impeachment complaint by private individuals and various groups on December 2, 4, and 19, 2024, while the fourth one was filed in accordance with the second mode on February 5, 2025, and transmitted to the Senate on the same day as the Articles of Impeachment.
On January 29, 2026, the Supreme Court upheld its July 25, 2025 decision that declared the fourth impeachment complaint unconstitutional for violating due process and the one-year bar rule under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the Constitution.
“The grounds in the first impeachment back in the 19th Congress, and grounds under the current impeachment are almost the same. If some members are changing their position on this implementation, it only means that there are factors that are present now that probably affect their position today,” Luistro said.
She added that the upcoming 2028 elections could also influence her fellow lawmakers’ decisions.
Luistro will deliver her sponsorship speech on the committee report and the resolution presenting the articles of impeachment against Duterte, before members of the Lower House deliberate on the committee’s findings and vote on whether to transmit the case to the Senate.
Under Article XI, Section 3(3) of the Constitution, a vote of at least one-third of all the Members of the House will be necessary either to affirm a favorable resolution with the Articles of Impeachment of the Committee on Justice, or override its contrary resolution.
She explained that out of the 318 members of the House of Representatives, only 106 votes are required to transmit the case to the Senate. Once approved, the Senate will convene as an impeachment court to try Duterte.
On May 4, the Committee found probable cause to impeach Duterte, by a unanimous 55-0 vote, for culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust.
Luistro said the voting will be conducted nominally, with each member called individually to cast a “yes” or “no” vote.
“In my humble submission, I think ultimately it will be the conscience of the members of the House, which will prevail at the actual voting,” she said.
Based on the press release of the Lower House issued on May 5, the Committee concluded that the evidence on record “meets the constitutional threshold for impeachment” based on the allegations of misuse of confidential funds, alleged unexplained wealth, bribery and corruption, and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, as well as acts described in the report as contributing to political destabilization.
“Central to the findings are allegations that Duterte misused P612.5 million in confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) when she served as its secretary, citing irregular disbursements, questionable liquidation reports, and unverifiable recipients,” it stated.
The report also details “alleged unexplained wealth, pointing to a sharp rise in Duterte’s declared net worth despite comparatively lower lawful income, as well as Anti-Money Laundering Council data flagging billions of pesos in transactions linked to her and her spouse.” (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
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