Two impeachment cases vs Marcos declared insufficient in substance
The House of Representatives Committee on Justice ruled that two impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. are insufficient in substance.
On Feb. 4, the House panel junked both impeachment complaints filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus and lawmakers of the Makabayan bloc against the president.
The panel, voting 42-1-3, determined that the complaint filed by De Jesus against Marcos lacked sufficient substance. Likewise, the committee, in a 39-7 vote, deemed the Makabayan-backed complaint the same, effectively closing the case.
House Justice Committee Chair Gerville Luistro stated that an impeachment complaint is deemed sufficient if it presents a "recital of facts constituting the offense charged and determinative of the jurisdiction of the committee."
De Jesus, alongside Pusong Pinoy Party-list Rep. Jett Nisay, submitted an impeachment complaint on Jan. 19, citing three grounds: serious violations of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust. He is also seeking to hold the president responsible for permitting the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Meanwhile, a second complaint was filed on Jan. 26 by militant and progressive groups led by the Makabayan bloc. This complaint contains three articles of impeachment, alleging the institutionalization of systemic corruption and patronage, misuse of discretionary funds for unprogrammed appropriations, and direct involvement in kickback schemes. Former lawmaker Zaldy Co accused Marcos of including P100 billion in the 2025 budget for flood control projects.
The panel has earlier declared that the impeachment complaints are sufficient in form. This new decision stops the impeachment process before any statements, evidence, or deliberations occur. This also gives Marcos a one-year immunity from impeachment.
The Justice Committee has 60 session days, starting from the referral of complaints to the panel, to present its findings and recommendations to the plenary for review.
