MANILA – The House Committee on Justice has suspended its hearing and will vote on the sufficiency of substance for both impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, February 4.

During the panel’s second hearing on Tuesday, February 3, lawmakers deliberated for about three hours on whether the first complaint, filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus and endorsed by Rep. Jett Nisay (Pusong Pinoy Party-list), was sufficient in substance. By a 24–21 vote, the committee ruled to include the authenticity of documents attached to the complaints in evaluating their sufficiency.

Although no voting on the complaints took place, several lawmakers expressed that the first complaint failed to clearly explain how Marcos committed the alleged offenses.

Justice Committee Chair Rep. Gerville “Jinkybitrics” Luistro (Batangas, 2nd District) clarified that statements deeming an alleged offense insufficient in substance do not indicate whether the respondent is guilty or innocent. “It’s not enough that the impeachable official is guilty of an offense. That offense must constitute a ground for impeachment,” she said.

The De Jesus complaint listed five alleged offenses across three grounds for impeachment: culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust. These included:

• Alleged surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court, violating the Constitution and betraying public trust.
• Marcos’ alleged unfitness to serve as president due to drug addiction.
• Failure to veto unprogrammed appropriations and other provisions in the General Appropriations Bill, constituting betrayal of public trust.
• Engagement in graft and corruption through kickbacks and ghost projects.
• Creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to shield corrupt allies.

Lawmakers reviewed each offense individually, noting the complaint largely relied on news articles and commentaries rather than factual claims.

On the alleged “surrender” of Duterte, Rep. Terry Ridon (Bicol Saro Party-list) said citing news reports does not prove a kidnapping occurred, while Rep. Brian Poe (FPJ Panday Bayanihan) noted no criminal case has been filed against any officer. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro, 2nd District) added that kidnapping can only be alleged if someone was unlawfully detained.

Regarding Marcos’ alleged unfitness to lead, Rep. Leila De Lima (ML Party-list) said the complaint failed to show how presidential acts were impaired by the claimed drug addiction. Rep. Bong Suntay (Quezon City, 4th District) agreed, noting no medical or drug test evidence was provided.

On failure to veto unprogrammed funds, lawmakers said the president’s discretion in exercising veto power is granted by the Constitution, and the complaint did not establish a clear link to betrayal of public trust.

For alleged kickbacks, De Lima said the complaint cited former lawmaker Elizaldy Co’s video confessions but did not explain specific acts, timing, or methods of the alleged transactions. Rep. King Collantes (Batangas, 3rd District) added that the complaint did not demonstrate the complainant’s firsthand knowledge.

Concerning the creation of the ICI, several lawmakers said its establishment alone does not constitute an impeachable offense. Poe noted that claims the commission shielded allies were unsupported, and Defensor highlighted the appointment of respected individuals contradicts such allegations. Rep. Edgar Erice (Caloocan, 2nd District) personally deemed the ICI a failure but acknowledged this is insufficient grounds for impeachment.

The panel suspended the hearing to allow members to review the first complaint and the Makabayan-endorsed complaint, which alleges three acts of betrayal of public trust. Once both complaints are considered, the committee will vote on their sufficiency.

If both complaints are dismissed, the panel will submit a report to the plenary. If one complaint is deemed sufficient, the committee will proceed to examine evidence, hear testimonies, and allow Marcos to defend himself.