House Secretary General Reginald Velasco
House receives 2nd impeach complaint against VP Sara
THE Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives received a second impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte at 3:30 PM Wednesday filed by members of various people’s organizations and endorsed by Makabayan bloc Reps. France Castro, Arlene Brosas and Raoul Manuel.
According to House Secretary General Reginald Velasco, the House will process the complaint in accordance with the Constitution and its Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings.
“As mandated by Article XI on Accountability of Public Officers, particularly Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the House of Representatives will process this complaint in accordance with the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings,” Velasco stated.
This second impeachment complaint follows a first one filed just two days ago, which cited allegations of grave misconduct and abuse of power. The initial complaint stemmed from controversies surrounding VP Duterte’s unexplained use of confidential funds amounting to P125 million within 11 days and her alleged threats against high-ranking officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez.
“The Secretary General shall transmit to the Office of the Speaker all the complaints filed,” Velasco said in a statement.
The earlier impeachment complaint also cited the Vice President’s incendiary remarks that sparked political tension and raised concerns over her conduct as the second-highest official in the country.
Duterte earlier threatened the President, claiming she had contracted an assassin to target them if she were killed. These threats were widely condemned as destabilizing and inappropriate for someone in her position.
“The filing of impeachment complaints underscores the seriousness of the allegations and highlights the vital role of Congress in upholding transparency and accountability in government,” he said.
“The House is committed to performing its constitutional duty with fairness, impartiality and respect for the rule of law,” he added.
Velasco assured the public that the process will be conducted with integrity.
“We assure the public that this process will be conducted with integrity, guided by the principles of due process and adherence to the Constitution,” he said.
The impeachment process, while rare, is a critical mechanism to hold high-ranking officials accountable. Article XI of the 1987 Constitution grants the House of Representatives the exclusive power to initiate impeachment cases, emphasizing Congress’s role in ensuring good governance and accountability.
Velasco called for all parties to respect the proceedings, urging the public to allow the process to take its course.
“We call on all parties involved to respect the legal proceedings and allow the constitutionally prescribed process to take its course,” he stated.
