Vice President Sara Duterte was again a no-show on Wednesday during the final clarificatory hearing of the House Committee on Justice on the impeachment complaints filed against her, marking her fourth consecutive absence from the proceedings.
Duterte's seat, which remains reserved beside that of House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, was left empty as the committee resumed its final hearing, before lawmakers vote on whether there is probable cause to proceed with the impeachment case. Despite her absence, committee staff continued to formally call Vice President’s name during the proceedings, underscoring what House committee chair, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, described as the panel’s continuing effort to give her an opportunity to respond. “The purpose of calling her name is to extend to her the continuing opportunity to present her evidence, including counter evidence and clarificatory questions through the House Justice members,” Luistro said. Duterte has skipped all four scheduled hearings, which began on March 25, 2026, as the committee assessed evidence and heard from witnesses related to multiple impeachment complaints. No representatives of the Vice President were present at Wednesday’s hearing, which also saw the attendance of complainants and resource persons. Among those present were complainants led by Fr. Jose Saballa and others, whose case was endorsed by ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima. A separate complaint alleges misuse of confidential funds, questionable liquidation documents, corruption during Duterte’s tenure as Secretary of Education, and alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Also present was the fourth complaint filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera, endorsed by Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. and Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V, which cites alleged procurement irregularities, misstatements in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), unexplained wealth, and command responsibility over alleged misuse of public funds. Also present at the hearing are the second complainants in the impeachment case against the Vice President. Officials from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), led by NBI Director Melvin Matibag, also attended the hearing as resource persons. The House committee is expected to decide whether to recommend the existence of probable cause in the impeachment complaints, which would move the case forward to the next stage in the legislative process.
