Metro Manila, Philippines – A group behind one of the four impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte will withdraw its petition and back another in hopes of fast tracking the case.
In a statement on Sunday, March 1, Tindig Pilipinas said it will lend its full support for the impeachment complaint filed by a group of lawyers and religious people as it contains “the same grave allegations and substantial evidence as ours.”
The group said it will withdraw its complaint on Monday, when the House justice committee is expected to start deliberations for the four ouster suits.
Duterte’s early announcement of a presidential bid in the 2028 elections is widely seen to affect the outcome of the deliberations.
“Consolidating our support behind the third complaint will strengthen our position and help move the case forward to the Senate impeachment court,” Tindig Pilipinas said.
While facing multiple complaints, Duterte only targeted the ouster suit filed by Tindig Pilipinas, brushing it off as baseless, slamming the Akbayan party-list and its chair emeritus, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, as having no credibility to support any ouster bid.
The three other petitioners and the order of their filing are:
- Progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and its allies
- Tindig Pilipinas and its allies
- Group of Rev. Fr. Joselito Sarabia, other religious people, and lawyers
- Lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera
ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima both endorsed the second and third complaints, noting that the latter was an “improved version” of the archived articles of impeachment transmitted to the Senate in 2025.
The third complaint alleged Duterte committed culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, plunder and/or malversation, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
Issues mentioned were Duterte’s alleged fund misuse as vice president and former education secretary, her assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, and her supposed unexplained wealth, among others.
“We believe that the impeachment process must proceed at the earliest possible time, free from procedural limbo and unnecessary legal delays that would otherwise obstruct the process,” Tindig Pilipinas said.
“Dapat nang managot si VP Sara sa pandarambong at pang-aabuso niya sa kapangyarihan sa lalong madaling panahon,” it said.
[Translation: VP Sara must be held accountable for her plunder and abuse of power in the soonest possible time.]
The complaints must pass the test for sufficiency in form and substance before the panel proceeds with notices and filing of pleadings, and the “hearing proper” to determine whether there are sufficient grounds of impeachment and probable cause.
In 2025, over 200 House members ousted Duterte through the fast-track mode of impeachment, which is triggered by a one-third endorsement of the chamber.
However, the Supreme Court ruled that the articles of impeachment sent to the Senate were unconstitutional for violating the one-year ban rule.
