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Advocates Philippines
De Lima Says One Conviction Enough To Oust VP Duterte
Photo credit: Congress PH
Former senator and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte has now been narrowed down to four major articles, but stressed that all accusations raised in the complaints remain covered.
According to De Lima, even a conviction on just one article by the Senate impeachment court would already be enough to remove Duterte from office and permanently bar her from holding any public position in the future.
The House Committee on Justice approved the committee report, resolution, and Articles of Impeachment on May 4 after previously finding probable cause in the complaints filed against Duterte.
“Ang resolution, the committee report with the resolution setting forth the articles of impeachment. Nakita po niyo na may pinapasok ng certain corrections, karamihan doon actually noong sinubmit ko ay clerical or typo errors lang, tsaka matter of style lang sa pag-rephrase ng certain portions,” De Lima said.
She explained that most of the revisions involved clerical corrections and wording adjustments, although one major addition was included under the article on unexplained wealth.
De Lima said the committee added an issue involving Duterte’s alleged failure to divest interests in a private company while serving in government.
“And then ‘yung pinadagdag din na substantive correction po tungkol po doon sa failure to divest her business interest sa isang company kasi sa Constitution po malinaw po iyan na kapag naka upo ka as President, Vice President, Cabinet Members, etc. ay kailangan wala kang participation in any business,” De Lima said.
She pointed to records from the Securities and Exchange Commission involving Metro Chow Corporation.
“Meron pong company na nakita natin sa mga SEC records, yung Metro Chow company or Corporation na nandun pa rin siya as shareholder and also as member of the board of directors,” she added.
According to De Lima, the alleged business involvement was included under Article 2, which centers on unexplained wealth and constitutional violations.
“So paglalabag po iyan sa ating Constitution kaya pinapasok ko po iyon as a sub heading doon sa Article 2,” she explained.
“Kasi sa Article 2 nandun ang pinaka-ground is unexplained wealth,” she added.
De Lima also noted that support for the impeachment case grew during committee proceedings, with 55 lawmakers approving the report compared to 53 who earlier voted to establish probable cause.
“So as approved by the committee, unanimous na naman and this time nadagdagan pa nga, naging 55 instead of 53, ang nag-approve ng committee report with the House resolution setting forth the articles of impeachment,” she said.
The four approved articles of impeachment include alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery and graft and corruption, and alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and then Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez.
“Number one, misuse or abuse of confidential funds. Pangalawa, unexplained wealth,” De Lima said.
“Several subheadings po yan, pinagdagdag po nga ako tungkol sa failure to divest her interest in business,” she added.
“And then ang pangatlo po yung bribery and graft and corruption, sa DepEd and then pang apat po yung threats ni plot to assassinate the President, the First Lady and the House Speaker,” De Lima continued.
She explained that the original complaints contained six or seven proposed impeachment grounds, but these were consolidated into four articles to make the case more organized and easier to present before the Senate.
“Kinondense na lang lahat para mas malinaw, para mas maikli rin specially in terms of presentation of evidence para mas klaro para mas coherent so yung mga similar grounds ay kinonsolidate na lang into one,” De Lima said.
“So from a total of six articles doon sa Saballa et al and I think ganoon din sa Cabrera 6 or 7 Articles of Impeachment of proposed grounds of the complaints ay ginawa na pong apat na lang pero covered lahat,” she added.
De Lima stressed that a guilty verdict on even one article would already carry the maximum penalty under impeachment proceedings.
“Kahit isa lang, correct,” she said.
“Pag makarating na po ito sa Senado at magkaroon na po ng trial at during the judgment ng mga judges of the impeachment court kahit isa lang pong article ang ma-uphold nila at ma-convict si VP Sara, that should be enough to really convict her and then to remove her from office and to permanently disqualify her to hold further public office,” De Lima added.
She also expressed confidence in the strength of the impeachment case, citing both the evidence presented and the unanimous vote from committee members.
“And we believe, kaya nga po ganyan ang resulta ng botohan unanimous vote of 55 members all present, all 55 members present na approve po,” De Lima said.
“Ibig sabihin malakas talaga ‘yung kaso, malakas yung mga articles of impeachment,” she added.
According to De Lima, even a conviction on just one article by the Senate impeachment court would already be enough to remove Duterte from office and permanently bar her from holding any public position in the future.
The House Committee on Justice approved the committee report, resolution, and Articles of Impeachment on May 4 after previously finding probable cause in the complaints filed against Duterte.
“Ang resolution, the committee report with the resolution setting forth the articles of impeachment. Nakita po niyo na may pinapasok ng certain corrections, karamihan doon actually noong sinubmit ko ay clerical or typo errors lang, tsaka matter of style lang sa pag-rephrase ng certain portions,” De Lima said.
She explained that most of the revisions involved clerical corrections and wording adjustments, although one major addition was included under the article on unexplained wealth.
De Lima said the committee added an issue involving Duterte’s alleged failure to divest interests in a private company while serving in government.
“And then ‘yung pinadagdag din na substantive correction po tungkol po doon sa failure to divest her business interest sa isang company kasi sa Constitution po malinaw po iyan na kapag naka upo ka as President, Vice President, Cabinet Members, etc. ay kailangan wala kang participation in any business,” De Lima said.
She pointed to records from the Securities and Exchange Commission involving Metro Chow Corporation.
“Meron pong company na nakita natin sa mga SEC records, yung Metro Chow company or Corporation na nandun pa rin siya as shareholder and also as member of the board of directors,” she added.
According to De Lima, the alleged business involvement was included under Article 2, which centers on unexplained wealth and constitutional violations.
“So paglalabag po iyan sa ating Constitution kaya pinapasok ko po iyon as a sub heading doon sa Article 2,” she explained.
“Kasi sa Article 2 nandun ang pinaka-ground is unexplained wealth,” she added.
De Lima also noted that support for the impeachment case grew during committee proceedings, with 55 lawmakers approving the report compared to 53 who earlier voted to establish probable cause.
“So as approved by the committee, unanimous na naman and this time nadagdagan pa nga, naging 55 instead of 53, ang nag-approve ng committee report with the House resolution setting forth the articles of impeachment,” she said.
The four approved articles of impeachment include alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery and graft and corruption, and alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and then Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez.
“Number one, misuse or abuse of confidential funds. Pangalawa, unexplained wealth,” De Lima said.
“Several subheadings po yan, pinagdagdag po nga ako tungkol sa failure to divest her interest in business,” she added.
“And then ang pangatlo po yung bribery and graft and corruption, sa DepEd and then pang apat po yung threats ni plot to assassinate the President, the First Lady and the House Speaker,” De Lima continued.
She explained that the original complaints contained six or seven proposed impeachment grounds, but these were consolidated into four articles to make the case more organized and easier to present before the Senate.
“Kinondense na lang lahat para mas malinaw, para mas maikli rin specially in terms of presentation of evidence para mas klaro para mas coherent so yung mga similar grounds ay kinonsolidate na lang into one,” De Lima said.
“So from a total of six articles doon sa Saballa et al and I think ganoon din sa Cabrera 6 or 7 Articles of Impeachment of proposed grounds of the complaints ay ginawa na pong apat na lang pero covered lahat,” she added.
De Lima stressed that a guilty verdict on even one article would already carry the maximum penalty under impeachment proceedings.
“Kahit isa lang, correct,” she said.
“Pag makarating na po ito sa Senado at magkaroon na po ng trial at during the judgment ng mga judges of the impeachment court kahit isa lang pong article ang ma-uphold nila at ma-convict si VP Sara, that should be enough to really convict her and then to remove her from office and to permanently disqualify her to hold further public office,” De Lima added.
She also expressed confidence in the strength of the impeachment case, citing both the evidence presented and the unanimous vote from committee members.
“And we believe, kaya nga po ganyan ang resulta ng botohan unanimous vote of 55 members all present, all 55 members present na approve po,” De Lima said.
“Ibig sabihin malakas talaga ‘yung kaso, malakas yung mga articles of impeachment,” she added.
May 4, 2026
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