WILL THE HOUSE of Representatives be able to muster enough numbers to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte for the second time around?
This question has been raised following House Speaker Faustino Dy III’s declaration that he would allow the [impeachment] process to take its course.
During the opening deliberations presided over by the House Committee on Justice, Dy committed to ensure that the public gets what it wants — a fair, lawful and transparent constitutional process embarking on the removal of the Vice President.
“The House will do its duty,” said Dy.
OBEDIENT BODJIE
Dy, who was elected Speaker by fellow legislators on September 17 last year, made the declaration today to set the tone for the two remaining impeachment complaints filed against Duterte.
Despite assurance that he won’t cave in to “pressures,” many still perceive Dy as a close political ally of his predecessor, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and would eventually toe the line, when “the going gets tough.”
While Dy is a member of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the political vehicle that brought Marcos to Malacanang, the House leader remains under the shadow of Romualdez.
WORTHY SPEAKER?
Dy received and processed the impeachment complaints against the President early this year, with Duterte claiming that the leadership change to Dy is no more than a “sham” designed to secure control of the lower chamber.
Since assuming the speakership, Dy prioritized efforts to regain public trust and restore the credibility that was besmirched by allegations of massive kickbacks from the 2025 budget insertions for government flood control projects.
Faced with low trust levels for HOR, Dy’’s first directive was to enjoin the chamber’s members to coordinate and cooperate with the ad hoc Independent Commission for Infrastructure, a fact-finding body created by virtue of an executive order.
Dy previously revoked former Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Zaldy Co’s travel clearance in September 2025.
DISSENTING BLOC
With the National Unity Party (NUP) calling on its members to vote on the impeachment complaints on the basis of their consciences, it remains a big question if Marcos’ sway over Congress could match the level of Romualdez and test the durability of his majority coalition.
Political analysts said the House Justice Committee’s hearings on the impeachment attempts against Duterte – that began today – could offer lawmakers a chance to hedge against her influence in the next election cycle and expose political fissures in the ruling coalition, Business World quoted them saying.
“The handling of the complaints will function as a stress test of the majority coalition,” Ederson DT Tapia, a political science professor at the University of Makati, posted on Facebook Messenger.
“A tightly coordinated response suggests leadership control and coalition discipline, while visible hesitation, abstentions, or fragmented messaging may signal underlying strain.”
ANTICIPATING 2028
The 39-member congressional panel is set to open hearings on four impeachment complaints against Sara, who retains strong grassroots support despite allegations of misusing intelligence funds — aside from the widening rift with her standard bearer during the 2022 presidential election.
Sara, who hails from the south, rose to national prominence on the popularity of her father, former and now jailed President Rodrigo Duterte, whose combative, tough-talking style of leadership resonated among Filipinos.
Analysts said the impeachment drive against Sara carries political undertones that could turn the proceedings into a proxy battle between her camp and Marcos’ allies, exposing tensions between the two leaders who ran as a ticket in the 2022 elections and won by a wide margin, BusinessWorld reported.
PROXY BATTLE
“The impeachment process at the committee level could function as an early proxy battle between the Dutertes and Marcoses,” said Arjan P. Aguirre, an assistant professor of political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, in his Facebook chat.
“Beyond the legal merits of the complaint, the proceedings may serve as a testing ground for coalition durability, factional loyalty and elite coordination,” he said.
Aguirre said the proceedings could “reveal early cracks” within the Marcos coalition.
“As the current administration approaches its final years, some members of Congress may hedge against the possibility of a Duterte political comeback,” and this could manifest in slower deliberations, more extended debate, or reluctance to take strong anti-Duterte positions,” Aguirre added.
POLITICAL SURVIVAL
Dennis Coronacion, chairman of the University of Santo Tomas Political Science Department, said the political survival of lawmakers also hinged on the positions they would take on VP Sara’s impeachment proceedings.
“If they would decide to approve the impeachment complaints against VP [Sara] Duterte, she could ruin their reelection bid by campaigning against them,” he averred.
Tapia said lawmakers should not frame the impeachment issue merely as a political contest ahead of 2028 but focus instead on their role in ensuring accountability for public officials.
“It’s whether Congress treats impeachment as a serious accountability process or as a numbers-driven political exercise.”
“If the House Justice Committee conducts a transparent, evidence-based threshold review, it could strengthen institutional trust,” he added. “But if the process appears pre-determined or procedurally evasive, it risks reinforcing public cynicism toward Congress.”
VERIFIED COMPLAINTS
From four, the two remaining impeachment complaints filed by civil society groups and activists, accused VP Sara of misusing P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds allocated to the Office of the Vice-President and the Department of Education, which she used to head.
The last complaint embarks on her failure to fully disclose assets in her statements of net worth and of amassing wealth disproportionate to her lawful income.
Tindig Pilipinas which filed the second impeachment complaint backed out and would consolidate support for the third complaint that accused Duterte of committing impeachable offenses like violating the Constitution and betraying public trust.
“Consolidating our support behind the third complaint will strengthen our position and help move the case forward to the Senate impeachment court,” and that it believes 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.
SELF-ENRICHMENT
In the third complaint, Sara is accused of illegally enriching herself, with critics saying her declared income as a former mayor and vice-mayor could not account for the hundreds of millions of pesos allegedly found in her bank accounts.
She was also accused of bribery linked to government contracts and of threatening to kill President Marcos, the First Lady and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, the President’s cousin.
Dy stressed that the role of the Committee on Justice at this stage is clearly defined, which is to determine whether the complaints are sufficient in form and substance in accordance with the Constitution and House rules.
“As Speaker of the House, I want to be clear about one thing: this is a constitutional process. It is not a political performance, and it is not a venue for trial by publicity,” Dy noted.
TRUST THE PROCESS
The House leader also called on the public to allow the House Committee on Justice to do its job.
“That responsibility rests primarily with the Committee on Justice, under the leadership of Chairperson Gerville Luistro. The committee has been properly notified, and the proceedings will follow established House rules,” he added.
The Isabela Speaker emphasized that the proceedings transcend personalities and partisan interests.
“Let me emphasize: impeachment is not about personalities. It is about institutions. It is not about taking sides. It is about upholding the Constitution,” he said.
He also stressed that fairness and due process must govern every step.
“Every elected official, including the Vice President, deserves fairness, due process, and the presumption that allegations must be examined carefully and judiciously,” Dy said.
PARTING SHOTS
“At the same time, complainants who have invoked a constitutional mechanism are entitled to have their filings addressed in accordance with the law,” he added.
The House chief made clear that he will not interfere with the committee’s deliberations.
“My role as Speaker is not to pre-judge the outcome, nor to influence the committee’s deliberations. My responsibility is to ensure that the House functions with professionalism, order, and fidelity to the Constitution.”