Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Faced with 2 Impeachment Raps Filed before the House
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President spoke shortly about the deadline for the filing of her answer to the impeachment complaints filed against her.
Two (2) out of four (4) impeachment complaints filed against Vice Pres. Duterte before the House of Representatives’ Office of the Secretary General were found substantial in form and substance by the Justice panel. It came after the first impeachment rap was set aside while the complainants of the second impeachment rap withdrew the complaint.
Instead, Tindig Pilipinas threw their support to the third impeachment rap filed against Duterte. The following grounds were raised in the third impeachment complaint filed against the Vice President:
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount over PHP 500 million confidential funds (CF) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount of not less than PHP 112.5 million of confidential funds allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the year 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by corrupting and bribing officials of the DepEd
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in contracting to murder or assassinate the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties and interests in properties in her SALN
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in committing acts of political destabilization and the high crimes of sedition and insurrection
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is given 10 days to answer to the impeachment complaints filed against her before the House Secretary General’s Office and were found substantial in form and substance by the Justice committee. The deadline falls on Monday, March 16, 2026.
However, as of Sunday eve, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has yet to answer to the impeachment complaints. The raps include allegations related to the use of the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President as well as the Department of Education when she was the DepEd secretary.
Furthermore, it also entailed questions about her conduct in office. The fourth impeachment complaint against the Vice President was filed shortly after Duterte announced her intention to run for president in 2028.
The Vice President’s legal team is composed of 16 lawyers from Fortun, Narvasa, and Salazar. Based on previous reports, her legal team was composed of the following:
- Philip Sigfrid A. Fortun
- Gregorio Y. Narvasa II
- Sheila C. Sison
- Carlo Joaquin T. Narvasa
- Roberto A. Tungpalan-Bacalc
- Justin Nicol B. Gular
- Lindon Miguel L. Miguel
- David Ronell M. Golla VII
- Maria Selene Golda R. Fortun
- Claribae F. Radoc
- Francesca Marie Y. Flores
- Miguel Carlos A. Fernandez
- Michael Wesley T. Poa
- Reynold S. Munsayac
- Mark C. Vinluan
- Ralph B. Bodota
If Vice Pres. Sara Duterte does not submit an answer to the impeachment complaints, the House Committee on Justice may expedite the proceedings. According to the lawmakers, without a formal response, the panel can move directly to deliberations. Such move will shorten the timeline for hearings.
On the other side, if Diuterte submits a reply, the House Justice panel will review her response. It can extend the process and allow her legal team to challenge the impeachment complaints more thoroughly.
Thus, the next steps really depend on whether Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will file a response to the impeachment complaints filed against her today or not. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, on Sunday, did not give a categorical answer on whether or not her camp will file a response.
“Malapit naman ang Monday ‘no? Hintayin natin kung magfa-file ako o hindi. Hintay na lang sila,” the Vice President said.
Based on the report, the complaints also mentioned the supposed threats of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte on the lives of Pres. Bongbong Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Previously, Duterte stressed that there is allegedly ‘no sufficient evidence to warrant an impeachment case against her’.