The House of Representatives on Wednesday night formally transmitted the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate, officially moving the impeachment process into its next constitutional phase and setting the stage for a possible trial.
The impeachment complaint was delivered to the Senate at exactly 7:22 p.m. by House Secretary General Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil to Senate Secretary Mark Leandro Mendoza.
Earlier in the day, the House plenary approved the Articles of Impeachment by a vote of 257 in favor, 25 against, and nine abstentions, comfortably surpassing the constitutional threshold required to elevate the complaint to the Senate.
Garafil said the transmittal came only after the House Secretariat completed the reproduction, collation, and verification of thousands of pages of records and supporting documents attached to the impeachment complaint.
“The transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment marks the beginning of the next constitutional phase of the process, and the House Secretariat made sure that all records were complete and in proper order prior to submission,” Garafil said.
“The accuracy of our submission is our paramount concern,” she added.
The Articles of Impeachment were based on the findings and recommendations contained in Committee Report No. 261, which the House adopted through House Resolution No. 989.
The complaint cites allegations involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds, supposed constitutional violations, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other impeachable offenses.
With the formal transmittal, the Senate is now expected to convene as an impeachment court to try the Vice President.
Under Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, an impeachment complaint endorsed by at least one-third of all House members is deemed filed and must be transmitted to the Senate for trial.
House leaders earlier rejected claims that the transmittal was intentionally delayed for political reasons, explaining that the Secretariat needed sufficient time to ensure that all records were complete, accurate, and properly reproduced.
Lawmakers said the impeachment package includes extensive documentary evidence, hearing transcripts, certifications, Commission on Audit findings, financial records, affidavits, and records gathered during months of hearings conducted by the House Committee on Justice.