Photo credit: House of Representatives of the Philippines

MANILA — The House Committee on Justice has dismissed two impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., ruling that both failed to meet the constitutional requirement of being sufficient in substance.

During a committee hearing, lawmakers voted decisively to junk the first impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus. Despite opposition from Pusong Pinoy Party-list Rep. Jett Nisay, the motion declaring the complaint insufficient in substance passed with 42 votes in favor, one against, and three abstentions. The result effectively halted the complaint’s progress in the House.

A second impeachment complaint, filed by former Bayan Muna chairperson Liza Maza and other petitioners, met the same fate. When the committee voted on whether the complaint was sufficient in substance, only seven members voted in favor, while 39 voted against, with no abstentions recorded.

The rulings came after the committee earlier found that both impeachment complaints were sufficient in form, meaning they complied with procedural filing requirements. However, sufficiency in substance requires that allegations be backed by clear, specific facts that could justify impeachment under the Constitution — a standard the panel ruled both complaints failed to meet.

With the committee’s decision, neither impeachment complaint will move forward to plenary deliberation, effectively ending the current impeachment efforts against President Marcos Jr. in the House of Representatives.