Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. took a shot at Vice President Sara Duterte’s presidential aspiration on Wednesday, April 29 even as the House Committee on Justice was preparing to vote on the existence of probable cause in the latter's impeachment case.

In his summary speech before the committee following weeks of hearings, Abante tried to burn into the minds of Filipinos the image of the impeachment respondent cursing and threatening to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez

He had this now-infamous video clip of the Vice President played one more time, despite it being shown several times already at that point in the hearing.

"Yan po ba ang magiging pangulo ng Pilipinas balang araw? (Is this going to be the president of the Philippines one day?)" asked the pastor-solon, who endorsed one of the two active impeachment complaints against Duterte.

In the clip, an incensed Duterte was heard saying: “May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kaniya na kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta at si Martin Romualdez. No joke. Nagbilin na ako. 'Pag namatay ako," sabi ko, "'wag ka tumigil hanggang hindi mo mapatay sila,' and then he said yes.”

(I already spoke to someone. I told him that if I am killed, you must kill BBM, Liza Araneta and Martin Romualdez. No joke. I have left instructions. I said, "If I get killed, don’t stop until you've killed them," and then he said yes.)

Minutes later, the justice panel voted to declare the presence of probable cause in the two active impeachment complaints against the lady official. The vote result was a unanimous 53-0 (yes-no) for each of the complaints.

It was last Feb. 18 when Duterte announced her intention to run for the presidency in tje 2028 national elections.

The impeachment proceedings at the committee level were marked by Duterte and her legal team's refusal to participate. Earlier, they challenged the committee's jurisdiction to carry out the "trial", and reckoned that the Senate should be the proposed venue to tackle the impeachment allegations.

Vice President Duterte's impeachment is being sought over her offices' alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds; untruthful declarations in the filing of her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth; unexplained wealth; and the death threats to the three personalities.

For Abante, Duterte’s non-appearance at the hearings shows “fear” on her part for the truth to come out.

“Sa ating Bise Presidente: Ang pananahimik at pag-iwas sa mga hearing ay hindi depensa; ito ay indikasyon ng takot (sa katotohanan),” he said.

(To our Vice President: Silence and avoidance of hearings are not a defense; they are an indication of fear [of the truth].)

“May sapat na ‘usok’ na tayo para patunayang may ‘sunog.’ May malakas na probable cause upang i-impeach si Sara Duterte. Hindi ito ‘fishing expedition’ - ito ay paghahanap ng katarungan para sa kaban ng bayan na nilagay sa mga duffel bag at itinago sa dilim,” he added.

(We already have enough ‘smoke’ to prove there is a ‘fire.’ There is strong probable cause to impeach Sara Duterte. This is not a ‘fishing expedition’—this is a search for justice for the nation’s funds that were stuffed into duffel bags and hidden in the dark.)

“Panahon na upang dalhin ang kasong ito sa Senado. Panahon na para sa katotohanan (It is time to bring this case to the Senate. It is time for the truth),” Abante further said.

He said that ultimately, Duterte had transgressed before the people and must be held accountable.

“Ang Bise Presidente ay hindi nagkasala sa komiteng ito kundi sa taong bayan. Ang pondo ng gobyerno ay hindi mo pag-aari—ito ay pawis at dugo ng mga manggagawang Pilipino,” the veteran lawmaker said.

(The Vice President committed no violation before this committee but before the people. Government funds are not your property—they are the sweat and blood of Filipino workers.)