Vice President Sara Z. Duterte could still face separate criminal, civil or administrative proceedings after her impeachment trial concludes, as the Senate proceedings do not bar cases arising from the same allegations, according to the House prosecution panel.
Counsel for the House prosecutors, Atty. Lorna Kapunan, noted that impeachment is a distinct proceeding that may run concurrently with cases before other bodies, such as the Office of the Ombudsman.
“Ang impeachment trial ay separate ’yan, tinatawag natin sui generis, no? Puwede namang isabay diyan ang criminal case, puwede isabay diyan ang civil case, puwede isabay diyan ang admin case,” Kapunan said.
Her statement came in response to inquiries regarding complaints filed against Duterte before the Ombudsman over the alleged misuse of public funds and whether those cases could move forward alongside the ongoing impeachment trial.
Multiple complaints are currently pending against Duterte. In December 2025, a group including former Finance Undersecretary Maria Cielo Magno filed plunder and graft complaints involving the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds. Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and the civil society group The Silent Majority filed an additional set of complaints in January 2026, which also targeted the handling of confidential funds during her tenure at the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
Kapunan stressed that impeachment serves a different purpose and operates under a different evidentiary standard than criminal prosecutions.
“Sa criminal case, proof beyond reasonable doubt ’yan. Sa impeachment case, hindi po ganun ang threshold. Sa impeachment case, kailangan lang clear and convincing evidence,” Kapunan said.
House impeachment team adviser and spokesperson Rep. Robert Ace Barbers similarly affirmed that the conclusion of the impeachment trial will not automatically resolve or end other proceedings against Duterte.
“Hindi naman hihinto ’yan dito lang pagkatapos ng impeachment trial. I’m sure marami pang tutuloy-tuloy na mga trials na mangyayari,” Barbers said.
He noted that the immediate question before the Senate impeachment court is whether Duterte should be removed from office based on the evidence presented.
“Kailangan ba siyang matanggal o hindi na?” he said.
Barbers added that the factual basis for the separate complaints remains intact regardless of the trial’s outcome.
Kapunan concluded that the Senate impeachment court must evaluate the charges based strictly on the record, stating, “Let us follow the evidence.”