The House of Representatives is moving closer to a decisive vote on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, with lawmakers expressing confidence that the required threshold to elevate the case to the Senate will be met.
A senior lawmaker said support within the chamber continues to grow, driven by both the evidence presented during hearings and the Vice President’s absence from the proceedings. He noted that these factors have influenced the position of many lawmakers ahead of the plenary vote.
“I’m confident the votes will reach at least 106, and likely exceed that,” Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor said, referring to the minimum one-third vote required under the Constitution to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate of the Philippines for trial.
The momentum follows the House Committee on Justice’s unanimous 55-0 vote approving a report that found probable cause to impeach Duterte.
Lawmakers described the evidence presented during the inquiry as substantial, citing issues that included the alleged misuse of confidential funds, discrepancies in declared wealth, and flagged financial transactions.
Defensor also said Duterte’s repeated absence from the hearings may have contributed to the growing support for impeachment, noting that lawmakers were not given the opportunity to hear direct responses to the allegations during the proceedings.
“Had these issues been addressed directly, it could have clarified matters for both Congress and the public,” he said.
The Articles of Impeachment also contain allegations involving corruption, unexplained wealth, and alleged threats against top government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
With the committee report now forwarded to the plenary, lawmakers are expected to review the findings ahead of scheduled debates and voting. If at least 106 votes are secured, the case will be formally transmitted to the Senate, which will convene as an impeachment court to try the Vice President.
House leaders have emphasized that the upcoming vote is not a determination of guilt, but part of the constitutional process to determine whether sufficient grounds exist for a full Senate trial.