MANILA — The House Committee on Justice on Monday formally approved a panel report and resolution dismissing two impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ruling that the allegations failed to meet the constitutional standards required to move forward.
The action effectively shuts down the impeachment bids at the committee level, after the panel earlier voted overwhelmingly to reject the complaints for lack of sufficient factual and legal basis.
One of the complaints, endorsed by the Makabayan bloc, accused Marcos of allegedly inserting projects into the national budget to divert public funds to political allies.
The second complaint stemmed from claims that the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his transfer to the International Criminal Court amounted to kidnapping.
House Justice Committee chair Gerville Luistro said the complaints were defective for relying on general allegations rather than concrete and specific facts that would justify impeachment proceedings.
She stressed that impeachment cases must clearly establish acts that fall under offenses explicitly identified in the Constitution, which she described as “strictly enumerated.”
Luistro said only accusations involving betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes may serve as valid legal grounds for impeachment.
If a complaint fails to meet these requirements, it is dismissed outright at the committee level, she explained. However, the justice panel is still mandated to submit its report to the House plenary, which retains the authority to affirm or overturn the committee’s findings.
“Lahat ng decision ng justice committee is subject to the approval of the plenary of the House of Representatives,” Luistro said.
Under the Philippine Constitution, an impeachment initiated by the House triggers a trial in the Senate, where conviction would result in removal from office and a perpetual ban from holding public office./PN
