MANILA — The House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte after 255 lawmakers voted in favor, 25 opposed, and 9 abstained, formally approving the House Committee on Justice report and transmitting the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate for trial.

The vote significantly exceeded the constitutional requirement of 106 votes, or one-third of all House members, needed to impeach a public official, and surpassed the earlier 240 votes recorded in a previous impeachment attempt during the 19th Congress.

House Committee on Justice chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas presented the articles of impeachment, stressing that the decision went beyond numbers and centered on constitutional accountability.

“Kapag may mabibigat na pagduda tungkol sa paggamit ng pera ng bayan, tungkol sa katapatan ng SALN, tungkol sa asal at pananalita ng isang pinuno — hindi maaaring manahimik ang House of Representatives,” Luistro said.

“Hindi tayo maaaring magbulag-bulagan. Hindi tayo maaaring matakot. Hindi tayo maaaring maging kasabwat ng katahimikan,” she added.

The approved impeachment complaint contains four main articles of accusation against the Vice President, including alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and alleged grave threats.

Article I accuses Duterte of the alleged misuse, misappropriation, and irregular liquidation of P612.5 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education. It cites Commission on Audit findings, disputed liquidation documents, handwriting analysis, and verification issues involving listed recipients.

Article II covers alleged unexplained wealth, discrepancies in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), and continued business interests while in office. It cites a rise in declared net worth from 2007 to 2024 and references billions of pesos in transactions flagged in anti-money laundering records.

Article III alleges bribery involving cash payments to Department of Education officials, including reported cash envelopes received by several individuals.

Article IV involves alleged grave threats and inciting to sedition, citing Duterte’s public statements, including a November 2024 press conference where she claimed she had contracted an assassin targeting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and a former House speaker.

Lawmakers were provided electronic copies and USB devices containing the committee report and supporting evidence, which were also furnished to Duterte and her legal team.

The Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court once the articles are transmitted. Conviction would require a two-thirds vote of all senators, or at least 18 votes.

If convicted, Duterte would become the first Philippine vice president to be removed through impeachment and disqualified from holding public office.