First formal impeachment complaint filed against Marcos
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is now facing an impeachment complaint filed before the House of Representatives by lawyer Andres de Jesus.
The complaint, officially received by the Office of the Secretary General, was endorsed by Pusong Pinoy Party-list Representative Jett Nisay.
De Jesus told the media that the impeachment complaint is anchored on three grounds: culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust.
Aside from the ongoing flood control scandal, he said he wants the president to be held accountable for allowing former president Rodrigo Duterte to be arrested by the International Criminal Court and transferred to The Hague, Netherlands.
He also included Marcos' handling of the 2026 budget, as he did not veto P243 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, allowing P150 billion to stay in the fund.
De Jesus also questioned Marcos' fitness to lead the country, pointing to allegations of illegal drug use, which Malacañang has since denied.
House rules require an impeachment complaint to be referred to the Office of the Speaker and included in the Order of Business within 10 session days of filing. It is then forwarded to the Committee on Justice within three session days.
The committee evaluates whether the complaint is sufficient in form and substance and, if probable cause exists, conducting hearings to assess the evidence and the respondents’ defenses.
Should the committee find no sufficient grounds, it may recommend dismissal. The House plenary, however, can override this through a one-third vote of all members to proceed with an impeachment trial and draft the articles of impeachment.
An impeachment complaint against Marcos may also move directly to the plenary if backed by at least one-third of House members, skipping the committee process similar to Vice President Sara Duterte's case.
In recent months, calls to impeach Marcos have intensified following flood control investigations and a corruption scandal alleging that he and former senior officials he appointed siphoned off billions of pesos through budget manipulation.
