The House of Representatives denied that it was delaying the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate.
According to House impeachment prosecutor and Public Accounts Committee chairperson Terry Ridon on Wednesday said the chamber was only making sure that all impeachment records were properly reproduced, checked, and verified before they are formally submitted to the upper chamber.
His statement came after Senator Imee Marcos criticized the House for citing the reproduction of “voluminous documents” as the reason for the delay. Marcos said the House had enough personnel and resources to transmit the documents without taking several days.
“Ginagawa po ng Kamara sa bagay po na ito para tiyakin po na yong lahat ng due process requirements patungkol po sa pangalawang pangulo at sa kabuuan po ng proseso ay magampanan po nang tama at maayos ng mababang kapulungan,” Ridon said.
Ridon said the current impeachment proceedings are different from the first impeachment complaint against Duterte, which was transmitted to the Senate on the same day it was approved on February 5, 2025.
“Iginagalang po natin ‘yong pagtingin ni Senator Imee Marcos sa usapin po ng transmittal ng articles of impeachment pero kailangan po nating linawin na magkaiba po ang sitwasyon nung nagdaang taon dito po sa panibagong impeachment laban sa pangalawang pangulo sa ilalim po ng impeachment sa taon pong ito,” he said.
According to Ridon, the latest impeachment case went through the first mode of impeachment under House rules, where complaints were referred to the Committee on Justice for proceedings.
He said the committee conducted clarificatory hearings, received documentary evidence, and heard witness testimonies before finding probable cause to pursue the impeachment case.
“Dumaan po ito sa House Committee on Justice kung saan saklaw po ng naging pagdinig at mga pagkalap ng mga dokumento at ebidensya. So rightfully so, mas makapal at mas mahaba po yong dokumento at ebidensyang pinaguusapan po natin,” the solon said.
House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil earlier said the Secretariat was still reproducing copies of the impeachment records for submission to the Senate. She said the documents and attachments ran into thousands of pages and had to be thoroughly reviewed to ensure the accuracy of the House’s submission.
Ridon also said the House was being extra careful because of the Supreme Court’s new guidelines after the first impeachment complaint against Duterte was voided.
He emphasized that neither the Constitution nor the impeachment rules of the House and Senate require the Articles of Impeachment to be transmitted on the same day the chamber votes to impeach an official.
“Panghuli, wala din naman pong nagsasabi sa batas sa Konstitusyon at sa mga rules ng impeachment ng Kongreso at Senado na kailangan pong magkaroon ng transmittal on the same day as the impeachment vote po sa Kamara,” he remarked.
He said the House would transmit the documents to the Senate at the earliest possible time so the upper chamber could convene as an impeachment court.
“So sisikapin po ng Kamara na maipadala sa pinakamaagang panahon ang articles of impeachment sa Senado nang sa ganon ay makapag-convene na po na pinakamaagang panahon din ang senado bilang isang senate impeachment court,” he added.
The House voted Monday to impeach Duterte for the second time, with 257 lawmakers voting in favor, 25 voting against, and nine abstaining.