House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has defended the chamber’s decision to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, insisting it was a move rooted in accountability—not political vendetta.
Romualdez issued the statement Thursday, a day after the Senate voted 19-4 to archive the Articles of Impeachment, despite the case still pending before the Supreme Court.
“Why the rush?” Romualdez questioned, as he emphasized that the House’s decision was lawful, transparent, and anchored on its constitutional duty. “We exercised that power… not out of spite, but out of duty. Not to attack, but to ask for answers—answers the Vice President never gave.”
He maintained that the complaint was based on verified facts and sworn documents, not political ambition. “This was never about political maneuvering,” he said. “Yet we have been met with personal attacks and a narrative that seeks to reduce a solemn constitutional duty to mere power play. That’s not just unfair—it’s dangerous.”
Romualdez also said the House’s filing of a motion for reconsideration meant the Supreme Court ruling was not yet final. “To archive is, in effect, to bury the Articles of Impeachment,” he warned. “The case is active.”
The Speaker reminded that more than a third of House members signed the verified complaint, which triggered the automatic transmittal to the Senate without need for further action—making the process constitutionally complete.
In the Senate, however, several lawmakers argued that impeachment should not be used as a tool for political revenge. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said, “If we do not want Vice President Sara to be elected president, beat her in 2028.”
Senate President Francis Escudero also raised questions about the real motives behind the complaint. “Are you truly for accountability or simply anti-Duterte?” he asked during plenary deliberations.
Escudero also pointed out that critics of the Supreme Court’s ruling, such as the Philippine Constitution Association, are affiliated with Romualdez. Adding to the political tension, Senator Imee Marcos—an ally of the Dutertes and cousin of Romualdez—suggested replacing the House Speaker.
Romualdez, however, said the move was never about confronting the Senate, but about standing up for accountability.
“We do not rise against the Senate. We rise for the Republic,” he declared. “Tuloy ang laban. For the Constitution. For the rule of law. And for the enduring truth that no public office is ever beyond the reach of accountability.”
Filed on February 5, the impeachment complaint stemmed from allegations including Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds, intimidation of public officials, and constitutional violations. The House transmitted the complaint to the Senate the same day, after securing the required number of signatures.
The controversy reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in July that the transmittal violated the one-year bar rule on impeachment proceedings—prompting the Senate to vote on whether to continue with a trial.
The Vice President, through her legal team that includes her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, also sought to invalidate the impeachment, citing the constitutional one-year ban.
Aside from legal debates, lawmakers had questioned the credibility of documents from Duterte’s offices. In one hearing, Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop cited acknowledgment receipts signed by “Mary Grace Piattos,” a name reminiscent of a snack brand, while Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong flagged signatures from “Kokoy Villamin” with inconsistent handwriting and missing PSA records.
Despite the Senate’s vote to shelve the case, the House maintains that the fight for truth and accountability is far from over.
