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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Big 3 House leaders set up VP Sara impeachment hearings during summer break

Big 3 House leaders set up VP Sara impeachment hearings during summer break

Published Mar 17, 2026 11:53 pm

At A Glance

  • Expect to the House of Representatives to conduct hearings on Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment case even during its summer break.
From left to right: Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, and Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan (Facebook, PPAB)
From left to right: Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, and Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan (Facebook, PPAB)


Expect to the House of Representatives to conduct hearings on Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment case even during its summer break.
This, after the House of Representatives adopted on Tuesday night, March 17 a resolution authorizing the Committee on Justice to continue the impeachment proceedings during the congressional recess from March 21 to May 3, 2026.
The measure, House Resolution (HR) No. 892, was introduced by arguably the top three officials of the chamber--Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III of Isabela, Majority Leader Sandro Marcos of Ilocos Norte, and Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan of 4Ps Party-list.
The development allows the justice panel, chaired by Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro, to act on impeachment-related matters even when the House is not in session.
“Consistent with parliamentary practice and the continuing nature of committee mandate and functions, committees of the House of Representatives may continue the conduct of authorized hearings and the performance of their functions during periods when the House is in recess, subject to the authority of the House,” the resolution read.
“Under the Rules of the House of Representatives, committees are authorized to conduct hearings, receive evidence, and issue compulsory processes, including subpoenas a d testificandum and subpoenas duces tecum, in aid of the performance of their mandate and functions,” it added.
The resolution also empowers the justice panel to implement Section 8 of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings, particularly provisions related to the protection of complainants and witnesses involved in the case.
Under the measure, the committee is authorized to implement Section 8 of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings, which provides that: “The House may, upon proper petition, provide adequate protection to a complainant or witness if it is shown that the personal safety of the complainant or witness is in jeopardy because of participating in the impeachment proceeding.”
The authors said the move was meant to ensure the safety of individuals participating in impeachment proceedings, noting that such cases involve testimony and evidence concerning high public officials that may expose complainants and witnesses to “threats, intimidation, harassment, or retaliation.”
The resolution recognizes that protecting participants is necessary to encourage the “truthful disclosure of relevant information” and to preserve the integrity of the proceedings.
In addition, the House may coordinate with relevant government agencies such as the Department of Justice (DOJ), Philippine National Police (PNP), and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in implementing appropriate protective measures.
A potential key witness in the impeachment hearings is alleged ex-Duterte administration intelligence officer Ramil Madriaga. Madriaga is detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Taguig City.
The resolution allows the justice panel to set and adjust hearing schedules, adopt confidentiality protocols and promulgate internal guidelines to ensure the effective implementation of witness protection measures.
The House will hold its last plenary session before the summer recess on Wednesday, March 18.
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