Vice President Sara Duterte (Facebook)

The majority bloc in the House of Representatives isn't inclined to push for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte in the final days of the 19th Congress due to sheer lack of time. 

This can be gleaned from the statements of Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel and La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V even as observers continue to wonder what will become of the three impeachment complaints filed against the lady official.  

"I believe there is no more material time to deliberate on the impeachment of the Vice President," Pimentel said on Monday, Jan. 27. 

"We only have five session days left before we go on recess and take the campaign trail," the assistant minority leader of the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) noted. 

The five session days that Pimentel is referring to are Monday, Jan. 27 and Tuesday, Jan. 28. The House will hold three more sessions in plenary next week, from Feb. 3 to 5, before going recess. 

The campaign period for national election candidates will begin on Feb. 11, while local bets will take the campaign trail on March 28. The mid-term polls will take place on May 12. 

Ortega says that while majority congressmen aren't "cold" to the impeachment, the issue on time or the lack thereof is seemingly making the decision for them.

"Well hindi naman siguro malamig, pero parang hindi pa siya napag-uusapan...dahil nga sa time element, medyo hindi pa natin nakikita na angkop siya sa ngayon," said the deputy majority leader. 

(I wouldn't say the majority is cold to it, but it's like not being talked about...because of the time element, we somewhat don't see it as appropriate at this time.) 

"But again...we still have two weeks. A lot can happen," added Ortega. 

All three impeachment complaints against Duterte were filed last December 2024. The complaints were partly triggered by her offices' alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds. 

It's practically the majority solons who will determine whether or not the impeachment will prosper, since they have the numbers in the lower chamber. 

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco has yet to transmit the impeachment raps to the Speaker’s office, pending a rumored fourth complaint from certain majority soloms themselves. It is not clear when this will be filed, if at all. 

President Marcos, Vice President Duterte's former ally, earlier said that it would be poor timing for the solons pursue the impeachment.