More than a year after she was first impeached by the same body.
On Monday, May 11, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte for the second time.
Deciding on the House Resolution No. 989, together with the findings, conclusions, and recommendations contained in Committee Report No. 261, the 257 lawmakers voted in the affirmative, 25 against, and nine abstained through the nominal voting process.
Under the Constitution, the approval of at least one-third of all House members, in this case, 106, is sufficient to elevate an impeachment complaint to the Senate for trial.
The approval elevates the impeachment case against Duterte to the Senate, which will sit as the Impeachment Court, for trial.
It marked the second time the House voted to impeach Duterte, following the first impeachment complaint endorsed and transmitted by the chamber in February 2025. The case was later archived by the Senate.
With this development, she becomes the first Vice President in history to be impeached by the Lower House, more so twice.
The articles of impeachment against Duterte is based on four grounds that were brought up before the House Committee on Justice.
She is being alleged to have misused confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, graft and corruption, and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
These articles are then transmitted to the Senate.
Before the vote, House Committee on Justice Chair Gerville Luistro said in her speech, “Ang hinihingi lamang natin ngayon ay ipagpatuloy ang proseso. Bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang Senado na dinggin ang buong katotohanan.”
She added that the House had already fulfilled its constitutional role by determining the existence of probable cause and that the next stage of the process belonged to the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.
“Hayaan nating manaig ang ebidensya. Hayaan nating manaig ang proseso. Hayaan nating manaig ang Konstitusyon. At sa huli, hayaan nating manaig ang bayan,” Luistro added
The lawmaker also also stressed that Duterte would be given full opportunity to answer the accusations against her during the Senate trial.
“At sa Senado, naroon ang pagkakataon ng Bise Presidente na sagutin nang buo ang bawat alegasyon, iharap ang kanyang ebidensya, at marinig ng buong sambayanan ang kanyang panig.“
Calling the impeachment vote one of the heaviest decisions lawmakers would make, Luistro warned against allowing fear or political pressure to override constitutional duty.
“Ang pagboto natin ngayon ay hindi lamang tungkol sa isang tao. Ang pagboto natin ngayon ay tungkol sa uri ng Republika na nais nating ipamana sa susunod na henerasyon,” she said. “Kung mananaig ba ang pananagutan—o ang takot. Kung mananaig ba ang katotohanan—o ang ingay. Kung mananaig ba ang Konstitusyon—o ang kapangyarihan.”
Luistro underscored that the impeachment proceedings were the result of a process that upheld the constitution. “Hawak po natin ngayon ang bunga ng mahabang proseso. Hindi ito nabuo sa isang gabi. Hindi ito produkto ng tsismis, galit, o sigaw sa social media.”
Luistro said the committee carefully observed due process throughout the proceedings, including compliance with the one-year constitutional bar rule and public hearings conducted openly and livestreamed for the Filipino people.
She also rejected claims that the impeachment proceedings were an attack against Duterte’s supporters, saying accountability under the Constitution must apply equally to all public officials regardless of power, popularity or political affiliation.
“Hindi ito usapin ng apelyido, partido, o rehiyon. Ang prinsipyo ng pananagutan ay dapat umiiral kanino man—kaalyado man o kalaban,” the representative said.
Luistro pointed to documentary evidence presented before the committee, including certifications from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Commission on Audit disallowances, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report, and other government documents now part of the House records.
“Opo. Meron po tayong numero. Ngunit ang numerong tinutukoy ko ay hindi lamang bilang ng boto. Nasa records po ang numero. Six. Point. Seven. Billion. Pesos,” she said. “Iyan ang numerong kailangang maipaliwanag sa sambayanang Pilipino. Iyan ang numerong hindi maaaring ibaon sa limot.”