'Malaking Problema': Duterte Ally Erice Questions Why House Secretary General Accepted 'Premature' Impeachment Complaint
The impeachment proceedings against VP Sara Duterte aren't going unchallenged. During Monday's House Justice Committee hearing, Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor and other Duterte allies raised pointed questions about the timing and acceptance of the complaints — with Manila Rep. Joel Chua calling it a matter of 'jurisdiction.'
The central issue revolves around the one-year bar. The Supreme Court's July 2025 ruling explicitly stated that the bar would expire on February 6, 2026 — preventing any new impeachment complaint from being filed or acted upon before that date. Yet Makabayan filed its complaint on February 2, four days early.
Makabayan argued that a newer SC resolution from January 2026 implied the bar actually expired on January 14, 2026. But critics like Keith Flores countered that 'what is implied cannot overturn what is expressed.' The committee ultimately voted 22-10 to set aside the complaint — a significant procedural victory for the Duterte camp.
The questioning extended beyond just the first complaint. House members allied with VP Duterte raised concerns about whether the House Secretary General should have accepted the early filing at all, calling it a 'malaking problema' that could undermine the entire proceedings if challenged before the Supreme Court.
Despite losing the battle on the first complaint, Duterte's allies couldn't prevent the third and fourth complaints from passing the form sufficiency test. With substance hearings set for Tuesday, the political chess match is far from over — and the VP's camp appears to be laying the groundwork for a potential SC challenge if the proceedings advance.
Source: Newswatch Plus / ANC
