An attempt to caution an audience member during deliberations on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment complaints was erased from the official record after several lawmakers questioned its basis.
During Monday’s session of the House committee on justice, Sagip party-list Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta called attention to the presence of Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Kiko Aquino Dee, who was seated in the gallery. Although Marcoleta is not a member of the panel, he sought to raise a point of order and later made a manifestation urging Dee to maintain proper conduct.
“This is not directed to the members of the justice committee, but I observed the presence of Mr. Kiko Dee, from the audience, though he was allowed to be an audience in the proceedings, despite his withdrawal of the second impeachment complaint, I suggest that he observe proper decorum,” Marcoleta said.
Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, who chairs the committee, asked him to specify what action prompted the warning. Marcoleta replied that his concern stemmed from Dee’s behavior during the Senate’s move to archive earlier impeachment articles against Duterte.
“May I know the action of … Mr. Dee, which is not consistent with decorum?” Luistro asked.
“I’m just speaking from experience,” Marcoleta replied.
“Which means he hasn’t committed any yet,” Luistro answered back.
Marcoleta responded that he was issuing the reminder in anticipation of possible misconduct, citing what he described as Dee’s reaction during the Senate proceedings. He was interrupted before completing his explanation.
ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, and Luistro maintained that no sanction or warning should be directed at someone who had not breached the rules of the hearing. Marcoleta later referred to Dee’s previous reaction in the Senate gallery.
“During the archiving of the impeachment, Mr. Dee booed and made a gesture of thumbs down at the VIP gallery of the Senate, gusto ko lang is for them to observe proper decorum,” Marcoleta said.
“Alright, Honorable Marcoleta, but it is apparent that … Dee hasn’t committed anything yet, which is not consistent with decorum,” Luistro said.
De Lima moved to remove Marcoleta’s statement from the record, arguing that it cited no specific act of misconduct during the ongoing session.
“Madam Chair, it is completely improper for our colleague to raise that matter, he has not cited any act of misconduct or misbehavior on the part of Mr. Kiko Dee, and alluding to that, my motion is to strike out the manifestation,” De Lima said.
Deputy Speaker Janette Garin supported the motion, and the chair approved it.
Dee had appeared as part of the second group of complainants in the impeachment proceedings. That group later withdrew its filing and expressed support for a separate petition submitted by clergy members and lawyers. Despite the withdrawal, the complainants were permitted to remain in the gallery after taking an oath confirming the authenticity of their communication to the committee.
Four impeachment complaints have been lodged against Duterte. The first, endorsed by members of the Makabayan bloc, was set aside for allegedly violating the constitutional one-year filing limitation. A second complaint from civil society groups was withdrawn. The third, backed by clergy and lawyers, and a fourth filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera, were both deemed sufficient in form and are proceeding.
Across the filings, lawmakers cited issues such as the handling of confidential funds, alleged threats against public officials, bribery claims, and potential breaches of the 1987 Constitution. A notable addition in the remaining complaints is the affidavit of Ramil Madriaga, Duterte’s former aide, who asked the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the Vice President for alleged corrupt acts and claimed he was tasked with “transporting large amounts of money to several persons as instructed by VP Sara.”
