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MANILA, Philippines — Two members of the Duterte Youth party tried to file an impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, May 8.
Spouses Marie and Ronald Cardema waited at the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon for the Duterte Youth-endorsed complaint to be filed with the Office of the Secretary General (OSG). However, the filing did not push through as planned after House Secretary General Reginald Velasco was unavailable to receive the document.
In a message to Philstar.com, Velasco explained that the OSG was closed on Thursday due to a “strategic planning seminar,” which all of the office’s staff attended.
“We resume work on Tuesday, May 13,” he added.
In a statement on Thursday, the party-list said they were informed that only the House secretary general, not other staff, could receive the complaint.
They said that under the rules on impeachment proceedings, the complaint should be filed with the OSG. It does not specifically state that the secretary general has to receive it himself, the Cardemas added.
The allegations
The complainants contend that Marcos is guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for allowing former President Rodrigo Duterte's arrest on March 11 and transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) the day after on charges of crimes against humanity.
They argue that Duterte's arrest was illegal because the ICC warrant, processed through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), should not have been enforced, as the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute.
For these reasons, the Cardemas are accusing Marcos of abusing his executive power and “ceding sovereign control” to foreign institutions.
Despite their criticism of the Marcos administration, Makabayan lawmakers Reps. Arlene Brosas, France Castro and Raoul Manuel dismissed the drafted impeachment complaint and its timing as a “desperate diversionary tactic to shield the Duterte family from accountability.”
“The Cardemas' theatrical attempt to file a complaint, knowing full well that Congress is not in session, reveals the true nature of this publicity stunt,” they said in a joint statement on Friday, May 9.
Challenging ICC jurisdiction
Although the Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC in March 2019, the Rome Statute stipulates that the tribunal retains jurisdiction over events that occurred while the country was still a state party.
This covers Duterte’s final term as Davao City mayor and the first half of his presidency, during which the so-called “war on drugs” took place, resulting in thousands of deaths without due process.
The limits of the ICC's jurisdiction, however, are being challenged by Duterte’s defense team. In 2021 and 2023, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I authorized the resumption of the prosecutor’s investigation, rejecting the Philippine government’s appeal to defer it.
Two judges from the Pre-Trial Chamber dissented from the majority in 2023, arguing that the ICC lacks jurisdiction and that the Rome Statute provision cited to justify the continued investigation is “meaningless.”
Similar reasons were cited in the Cardemas’ impeachment complaint. It is worth noting that Ronald Cardema is the current chair of the Duterte Youth, which he founded in 2016. His wife, Marie, served as its representative during the 18th Congress.
‘Riding on anti-Marcos sentiments’
For Brosas, the Duterte Youth’s move is only a “desperate attempt to reframe the narrative about the ICC case, shifting focus from the grave human rights violations committed during Duterte's administration to procedural questions about the arrest.”
House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V also denounced the attempted impeachment complaint against Marcos, describing it as a “political gimmick.”
Led by House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the president’s cousin, the lower chamber demonstrated its political alignment when it impeached Vice President Sara Duterte with more than 215 votes, surpassing the one-third requirement to warrant a trial.
The Duterte Youth party-list is also known for red-tagging activists and government critics, particularly those of Duterte and his family.
It is currently facing a disqualification complaint ahead of the 2025 midterm elections over red-tagging, which the Commission on Elections (Comelec) considers an election offense.
