House junks impeachment complaints vs Marcos
The House of Representatives has officially dismissed the impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., granting him immunity from any impeachment complaints for one year.
With 284 affirmative votes, eight against, and four abstentions, the lower chamber has officially dismissed the complaints against the president, emphasizing that an impeachment complaint must be based on ultimate facts.
“Ultimately, these complaints failed to establish any factual nexus between the President and an impeachable offense. They attempt to reframe mere policy disagreements and routine executive functions as a betrayal of public trust without any showing of bad faith or malice,” said Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, who chaired the panel.
“What were presented were policy disagreements and generalized accusations, not ultimate facts,” she added.
Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga said that the justice committee acted fully in accordance with the Constitution and House rules when it dismissed the complaints.
“The dismissal of the complaints allows government to move forward and focus on the needs of the Filipino people, while affirming the rule of law and reinforcing stability at a time when unity and responsible governance are essential,” Enverga said.
Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Leila de Lima argued that if the complaints were baseless, Marcos had the chance to defend himself.
"If the allegations were baseless, the president would have had every opportunity to respond, to rebut, and to dismantle them on record. Sa ganoong paraan dapat i-resolba ang mga pagdududa sa isang demokrasya, hindi sa pamamagitan ng pagsara ng pinto, kundi sa pagbubukas ng mga record. Kung walang itinatago, walang dapat ikatakot,” de Lima said. “Haharapin mo ang mga tanong, hindi ka magtatago sa teknikalidad,” she added.
This followed the approval of the committee report by the House Committee on Justice, which dismissed the two impeachment complaints against Marcos, having found them insufficient both in form and substance.
Lawyer Andre 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.
