This means that they found enough grounds to proceed to hearings on the two complaints against the official.
On Wednesday, March 18, the House Committee on Justice found sufficient grounds to proceed to hearings on the two remaining impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.
This decision paves the way for the full-blown proceedings that will begin on March 25.
The said motion was approved by the panel, chaired by Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, without motions to object, effectively declaring that there are sufficient grounds to conduct hearings on the third and fourth impeachment complaints against the Vice President.
House Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor moved for the third complaint, while Deputy Speaker and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin moved for the fourth.
After the motions were approved, Luistro formally closed the determination stage and moved the proceedings forward. “At this point, honorable members of the Justice Committee, we declare the conclusion, the conclusion of Step 3. We declare the conclusion of the determination of sufficiency in grounds. Now, we proceed to Step 4 — that is the hearing proper,” she said.
The third impeachment complaint, also known as the Saballa et al. complaint, was endorsed by ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima.
It alleges Duterte of misusing confidential and intelligence funds, violations of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust.
As for the fourth impeachment complaint, or the Cabrera complaint, was filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and endorsed by Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Deputy Speaker and La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V.
The said complaint alleges the Vice President of having unexplained wealth, violations of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)A requirements, bribery, and the supposed threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
The committee has since set the initial hearing dates on March 25, April 14, April 22, and April 29, 2026, with Luistro saying that the evidence and witnesses to be presented during the hearings will be considered in determining probable cause in the next stage of the proceedings.
The panel also confirmed it is authorized by the House plenary to continue impeachment proceedings during the congressional recess from March 21 to May 3, 2026.
Luistro also placed on record motions filed by Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno, including a March 5 request for a subpoena duces tecum and a March 17 petition for adequate protection, which may include transfer of custody for witness Ramil Madrillaga—who has been identified as the alleged bagman of the Vice President—and is currently detained in a facility of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
She said the request for issuance of a subpoena and the petition will be acted upon by the committee at the initial stage of the hearing proper on March 25, 2026.
