DAVAO CITY – Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte criticized the House Committee on Justice’s decision declaring the third and fourth impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte as sufficient in form and substance.

“While this development does not come as a surprise, it clearly exposes how certain forces in Congress are willing to weaponize impeachment for political ends rather than uphold fairness and justice,” Rep. Duterte said in a statement Friday.

The committee earlier voted to declare the complaints against Vice President Duterte sufficient in form and substance, allowing the impeachment process to move forward in the House of Representatives.

Duterte commended Quezon City Rep. Jesus Manuel Suntay for opposing the move, saying the lawmaker “stood his ground and refused to be intimidated” despite pressure during the deliberations.

“In a room where many chose convenience over conviction, he showed that courage and integrity in public service still exist – even if it means standing alone,” he added.

The lawmaker addressed the 54 House members who voted to advance the complaints, warning them that “political power is temporary” while accountability to the public remains permanent.

“You may have the numbers today, but history has a way of judging those who abuse their authority,” he said. “Political power is temporary, but accountability to the Filipino people is permanent.”

Duterte said there are other issues that should be investigated, including alleged corruption in government flood control projects and claims that public funds were distributed in luggage bags.

“Who among those in Congress and this administration will be investigated and jailed for the alleged trillion-peso flood-control corruption? Who will answer for claims that funds were distributed in luggage?” he said.

Duterte called for hair follicle drug tests to be conducted on all members of Congress and the Senate, including what he described as the “mastermind behind this political circus and his own family,” though he did not name anyone.

He stressed the Filipino people would ultimately judge the actions of public officials involved in the controversy. “Everyone should be ready to stand by their actions and answer for it before the very people whose voices they ought to represent.”