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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Solon pinpoints key difference in impeachment efforts vs VP Duterte, PBBM

Solon pinpoints key difference in impeachment efforts vs VP Duterte, PBBM

Published Jan 17, 2026 02:20 pm

At A Glance

  • Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno has highlighted the key difference in the alleged efforts to file fresh impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte and President Marcos in the 20th Congress.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (Facebook)
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (Facebook)


Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno has highlighted the key difference in the alleged efforts to file fresh impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte and President Marcos in the 20th Congress.
In a nutshell, Puno said one impeachment case has already been substantiated, while the other stands on pure speculation.
“The case against Vice President Sara, talagang na-imbestigahan na nang husto ‘yan, in the [Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability hearings] and then specific grounds were already stated in the complaint before," he said in a recent virtual press conference.
Puno, chairman of National Unity Party (NUP) was referring to the previous filing of impeachment raps against the lady official during the previous 19th Congress. The complaints cited the findings of the committee against various issues involving Vice President Duterte.
On Feb. 5, 2025, one of the complaints was overwhelmingly adopted by the House of Representatives in plenary, and turned Duterte into the first Philippine vice president to ever be impeached.
"Yung against President Marcos, speculative lang ‘yan, wala naman lumalabas (As for President Marcos, it's only speculative, nothing is coming out). Has there been any complaint that has been serious? Parang wala (There appears none),” Puno said.
The deputy speaker was referring to rumors that certain House members were going to try to unseat President Marcos via impeachment upon the resumption of sessions later this month.
"So I was asked a question about whether or not the NUP was going to support an impeachment complaint against President Marcos and my answer was definitely obviously no," said Puno, who added that there was simply no reason or grounds to impeach the Chief Executive.
While the suspended Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga brandished an impeachment complaint against Marcos during one of his livestreams in plenary last year, he has never been taken seriously by his peers.
However, this can't be said of the complaint against Vice President.
"When I was asked in the same manner, are you going to support or deny an impeachment claim against the Vice President, I said, well actually this is already the second time. So I want our party to see the complaint and read over it and study it very carefully and decide according to the new rules that have been set by the Supreme Court (SC)," Puno said.
The six major allegations contained in the 19th Congress complaint against the Vice President are conspiracy to assassinate President Marcos; malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds; bribery and corruption in Department of Education (DepEd); unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets; involvement in extrajudicial killings (Davao Death Squad); and destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder.
The 33-page complaint ended up getting struck down by the (SC) in July 2025, but only due to a technicality. The Senate never held the constitutionally-mandated impeachment trial to test the merits of allegations.
The one-year prohibition on the filing of a new impeachment complaint against Duterte will lapse on Feb. 6.
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