MARCH 2, 2026 — The House of Representatives has opened deliberations on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, and the message from the justice committee chair was sharp: the Supreme Court never absolved her of any wrongdoing. Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, who leads the panel, made it clear that the Court’s past rulings were about technicalities — not innocence.

Luistro reminded everyone that the SC’s July 2025 and January 2026 decisions only barred earlier complaints because of the constitutional “one-year rule” and due process violations. 

“Malinaw sa desisyon ng Korte Suprema na ang naging pasya nito ay nakatuon lamang sa one year bar rule. Isang usaping teknikal. Hindi ito paghahatol sa nilalaman ng mga reklamo. Hindi ito deklarasyon na walang sala ang Bise Presidente,” she said. 

(It is clear in the Supreme Court’s decision that its ruling focused only on the one-year bar rule. A technical issue. It was not a judgment on the substance of the complaints. It was not a declaration that the Vice President is innocent.)

The committee has already set aside one complaint for violating the one-year bar rule, but two others were declared sufficient in form and will move forward. This means the House will now weigh the merits of allegations ranging from betrayal of public trust to misuse of confidential funds.

Luistro’s words cut through the noise of social media spin: “Impeachment is a constitutional process — not a social media contest. Hindi hashtag ang magpapasya dito. Hindi meme ang maghahatol.” 

(Hashtags, memes won’t decide this case.)

Vice President Duterte, for her part, has consistently denied the accusations, branding them as politically motivated. 

Meanwhile, Luistro underscored that impeachment is a duty, not an option. 

“No one is above the Constitution. Not the President. Not the Vice President. Not the Senate. Not the House of Representatives,” she said.

The takeaway is simple: the Supreme Court did not clear Sara Duterte, and the House now carries the burden of deciding whether the complaints hold water. The process may be long, noisy, and politically charged, but it is also a test of how seriously we take accountability in a democracy.

Will the House prove that accountability in the Philippines is more than just a slogan?

(Image: Inday Sara Duterte | Facebook)