Online users claim that the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte have been dismissed on the grounds of constitutional technicalities. This is false.
First uploaded on March 23 by a pro-Duterte YouTube channel, the video bore a title that states:
“PATAY NA ANG IMPEACHMENT! VP SARA SUCCESS SA KORTE (The impeachment is dead! VP Sara succeeded in court).”
A similar post on Facebook bore a thumbnail showing photos of Duterte, Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, chair of the House Committee on Justice that conducts hearings on the impeachment complaints.
Other posts on March 24 and March 29 have a superimposed text that reads:
“PATAY NA ANG IMPEACHMENT! TALO SA KORTE SA TECHNICALITY DI UUBRA ANG PROPAGANDA NG KONGRESO KAY VP SARA (The impeachment is dead! Lost in court on technicality, Congress’ propaganda against VP Sara will not work).”
The third and fourth impeachment complaints against Duterte have not been dismissed. These contain allegations of misuse of confidential funds, non-disclosure of her full Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, bribery, and threats against officials, and other culpable violations of the 1987 Constitution.
The House Committee on Justice began the hearing proper on March 25, after voting that the complaints were sufficient in form, substance and grounds.
The committee “set aside” the first complaint filed on Feb. 2 by the Makabayan Bloc over potential violations of the one-year bar rule, with debates focusing on whether the prohibition expired on Jan. 14 or Feb. 6. The second complaint filed by Tindig Pilipinas, Akbayan and Mamamayang Liberal were withdrawn similarly to avoid questions on the time of its filing.
The third complaint filed on Feb. 9 by religious leaders and the fourth filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera on Feb. 18 remain active.
What the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional on July 5, 2025 was the complaint filed on Feb. 5, 2025 through a resolution approved by more than one-third of the House members of the 19th Congress, which was transmitted as the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate on the same day.
The High Court deemed it barred by the rule that only one impeachment proceedings may be initiated against the same official within one year. The ruling, penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, said the first three complaints filed on Dec. 2, 4, and 19, 2024 were “archived and therefore deemed terminated or dismissed” on Feb. 5, 2025, meaning no new complaint could be initiated until after Feb. 5, 2026.
However, the Court clarified that the technicalities do not absolve Duterte of charges and wrongdoing should subsequent impeachment complaints be filed against her.
The March 23 video was extracted from a vlog of lawyer Neil Abayon, explaining why the March 25 impeachment proceedings was called a “fishing expedition” by Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.
The false claims spread two days before the scheduled formal impeachment hearing on March 25, which Duterte did not attend.
Michael Poa, the spokesperson of Duterte’s defense confirmed on March 24 that her absence was “in light of the constitutional objections raised” by her team in a message to ABS-CBN News.
Published originally by YouTube channel Robin Sweet News (created on Sept. 20, 2020), the video garnered 1,100 reactions; 57 comments and 22,242 views as of writing. A similar erroneous post on FB page Pinoy Star Buzz (created on May 4, 2025) and All Stars Gossips (created on Nov. 12, 2025) collectively garnered 1,610 reactions; 729 comments; and 194 shares.
