House members under the Committee on Justice appears to be just days away from recommending to plenary the second impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte in as many years.

Meanwhile, the Senate leadership has a "forthwith" attitude when it comes subjecting the Vice President to an impeachment trial, which could end up unseating her if she's found guilty of even one of the articles of impeachment.

But what if she suddenly resigns? What happens then?

Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua says the answer is "nothing much", especially in terms of Vice President Duterte using it to as an escape route for her legal troubles.

“Unang-una po, iyung kanya pong pagre-resign ay hindi po mag-aabswelto sa kanya sa pananagutan. Dahil meron po ring nakaumang sa kanyang kaso sa ating Office of the Ombudsman,” Chua, a justice committee member, said on April 25 during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

(First of all, her resignation does not absolve her of accountability. Because there is still a case pending against her before the Office of the Ombudsman.)

Chua, a lawyer, noted that one reason why the Ombudsman has not fully moved against Duterte was that she remains an impeachable official, who Congress (House and Senate) may opt to remove via the ongoing constitutional process. But once she steps down, it's a different story.

“Once na siya po ay nag-resign, gugulong na ang batas. Gugulong na po ang Ombudsman,” he said.

(Once she resigns, however, the law will take its course. The Ombudsman will proceed.)

Chua, a lawyer, has stressed that the Ombudsman case also carries an administrative aspect that would make resignation an incomplete and inadequate escape route, especially since Duterte is a self-declared 2028 presidential race aspirant.

“Ito pong kaso pong ‘yan hindi lamang po sa usaping criminal aspect, dahil ‘yung sa Office of the Ombudsman meron din po tong kaakibat na administratibo. At doon sa administratibo puwede rin pong maglabas ng perpetual disqualification,” he pointed out.

(This case is not only about the criminal aspect, because before the Ombudsman it also carries an administrative dimension. And in the administrative aspect, perpetual disqualification may also be imposed.)

“Pero just the same, ang impeachment po kasi ang penalty po niyan dalawa, removal at perpetual disqualification. Wala pong kulong ‘yan, ‘yung impeachment para po sa paglilinaw sa ating mga kababayan,” Chua explained.

(But just the same, impeachment carries only two penalties: removal and perpetual disqualification. There is no imprisonment attached to impeachment, this is for the clarification of our fellow citizens.)

For that reason, he argued, a resignation should not be allowed to short-circuit the issue of perpetual disqualification, especially if the House has already endorsed the complaint and one of the express prayers has already been placed before the Senate.

“Kaya kami po, sa parte po namin, ako po naniniwala, kahit po siya mag-resign, dapat po yung issue o ‘yung sa usapin po ng perpetual disqualification, ay dapat din po yan na sagutin o desisyonan. Kasi ang magiging prayer po dito once na ito po ay inendorso na sa Senado, ang isa po sa mga prayer dito ay perpetual disqualification. Dapat po yan ay resulbahin din ng Senado,” he said.

(That is why, on our part, I believe that even if she resigns, the issue of perpetual disqualification must still be addressed and decided. Because once this is endorsed to the Senate, one of the prayers here is perpetual disqualification. That must also be resolved by the Senate.)

Chua also pushed back against claims from Duterte’s camp that the recent hearings of the justice committee had turned into a "fishing expedition".

He said the panel was acting squarely within its rules and in a manner akin to a preliminary investigation where both sides may continue submitting evidence.

However, the impeachment respondent have no showed the panel proceedings, especially the three hearings on the determination of probable cause last March 25, April 14, and April 22.

Among the supposed "strong" impeachment allegations against Duterte are the alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds controlled by her offices, unexplained wealth and ommissions in her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), and her 2024 death threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.