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House Support For Sara Impeachment Grows; Benitez Sees More Than 215 Votes
Photo credit: Congress PH
Support for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte continues to build inside the House of Representatives, with Deputy Speaker Albee Benitez saying he expects more than 215 lawmakers to back the move to send the case to the Senate for trial.
Speaking in an interview on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s “On Point,” Benitez said the number of lawmakers supporting the impeachment could still rise as more members review the evidence presented during the hearings.
According to Benitez, many lawmakers became more convinced after the House Committee on Justice conducted a detailed review of the complaints and supporting documents. He noted that unlike the earlier impeachment complaint, which was quickly transmitted to the Senate after gathering enough signatures, the current proceedings went through a longer and more thorough process.
He said the hearings helped lawmakers better understand the allegations and the evidence tied to the vice president, leading more members to believe the matter should now be decided through a Senate trial.
Benitez emphasized that the House is not determining guilt at this stage, but only deciding whether there is enough basis or probable cause to move the case forward.
Among the issues being raised by lawmakers are questions surrounding alleged discrepancies in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), including undeclared assets and the reported movement of billions of pesos through bank transactions.
The Justice committee earlier pointed to findings that Duterte and her husband allegedly failed to clearly declare cash on hand and bank deposits in their SALNs for several years beginning in 2019. The panel also cited reports involving around P6.77 billion in covered and suspicious transactions allegedly linked to their accounts since 2006.
For Benitez, the SALN remains one of the strongest tools for transparency in government service. He warned that weak enforcement could allow public officials to avoid accountability.
The deputy speaker also revealed plans to file a measure that would strengthen the SALN system and tighten rules on financial disclosure for government officials.
He stressed that the impeachment proceedings should not be viewed as a political attack, but as an issue of governance and public accountability.
Support for the impeachment reportedly cuts across several political blocs in the House. Zia Alonto Adiong said a majority of members from Lakas-CMD are expected to vote in favor, while Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno said many members of the National Unity Party are also likely to support the move.
Meanwhile, Tingog partylist representative Jude Acidre said the party-list coalition could deliver most of its votes in support of the impeachment.
Despite claims from some sectors that lawmakers are being pressured to vote “yes,” Benitez denied there was any arm-twisting inside the chamber. He said lawmakers were even allowed to vote through secret balloting during internal discussions to ensure fairness and independence.
Benitez also encouraged fellow lawmakers to take a stand instead of abstaining or skipping the vote, saying every member must decide based on what they believe is right.
The House plenary is expected to vote on the articles of impeachment today, May 11 after lawmakers were given several days to study the committee report and supporting evidence.
Speaking in an interview on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s “On Point,” Benitez said the number of lawmakers supporting the impeachment could still rise as more members review the evidence presented during the hearings.
According to Benitez, many lawmakers became more convinced after the House Committee on Justice conducted a detailed review of the complaints and supporting documents. He noted that unlike the earlier impeachment complaint, which was quickly transmitted to the Senate after gathering enough signatures, the current proceedings went through a longer and more thorough process.
He said the hearings helped lawmakers better understand the allegations and the evidence tied to the vice president, leading more members to believe the matter should now be decided through a Senate trial.
Benitez emphasized that the House is not determining guilt at this stage, but only deciding whether there is enough basis or probable cause to move the case forward.
Among the issues being raised by lawmakers are questions surrounding alleged discrepancies in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), including undeclared assets and the reported movement of billions of pesos through bank transactions.
The Justice committee earlier pointed to findings that Duterte and her husband allegedly failed to clearly declare cash on hand and bank deposits in their SALNs for several years beginning in 2019. The panel also cited reports involving around P6.77 billion in covered and suspicious transactions allegedly linked to their accounts since 2006.
For Benitez, the SALN remains one of the strongest tools for transparency in government service. He warned that weak enforcement could allow public officials to avoid accountability.
The deputy speaker also revealed plans to file a measure that would strengthen the SALN system and tighten rules on financial disclosure for government officials.
He stressed that the impeachment proceedings should not be viewed as a political attack, but as an issue of governance and public accountability.
Support for the impeachment reportedly cuts across several political blocs in the House. Zia Alonto Adiong said a majority of members from Lakas-CMD are expected to vote in favor, while Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno said many members of the National Unity Party are also likely to support the move.
Meanwhile, Tingog partylist representative Jude Acidre said the party-list coalition could deliver most of its votes in support of the impeachment.
Despite claims from some sectors that lawmakers are being pressured to vote “yes,” Benitez denied there was any arm-twisting inside the chamber. He said lawmakers were even allowed to vote through secret balloting during internal discussions to ensure fairness and independence.
Benitez also encouraged fellow lawmakers to take a stand instead of abstaining or skipping the vote, saying every member must decide based on what they believe is right.
The House plenary is expected to vote on the articles of impeachment today, May 11 after lawmakers were given several days to study the committee report and supporting evidence.
May 11, 2026
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