Philippine lawmakers on Wednesday dismissed two impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., citing a lack of sufficient grounds.
The complaints, filed by left-leaning activists and a lawyer, alleged offenses including large-scale corruption. After several days of discussion, the House of Representatives justice committee voted to reject both complaints for being “insufficient in substance.” The 46-member committee is dominated by allies of Marcos.
Members of the panel said the accusations either lacked direct evidence against the president, were difficult to verify, or did not meet the constitutional standards for impeachment.
One allegation cited videos posted on Facebook by former lawmaker Zaldy Co, accusing Marcos of accepting kickbacks from flood control projects. Co, who faces arrest on unrelated corruption charges, could not be located. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Marcos welcomed the decision. “We’re happy that the process was followed and that the lawmakers recognized the real truth,” said Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro.
Renato Reyes, a complainant from the political alliance Bayan, said the dismissal prevented further examination of the claims. “We were prepared to present evidence at the next stage,” he said.
Under Philippine law, a new impeachment complaint cannot be filed against the same official for one year after the dismissal of a prior complaint.
Vice President Sara Duterte also faces two impeachment complaints filed earlier this week, following the expiration of a one-year ban. These center on alleged misuse of 612.5 million pesos ($10.3 million) in confidential funds while serving as vice president and education secretary. She has denied wrongdoing and has not provided detailed explanations in past legislative hearings.
One of the filings also cited a public comment Duterte made in November 2024, in which she alluded to potential retaliation if she were harmed amid political tensions. The quote referenced the president, his wife, and the House speaker.
Duterte is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose administration faced international scrutiny over anti-drug operations. He was arrested in the Netherlands last year on charges brought by the International Criminal Court.
