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January 19, 2026 | 10:45am
This is a developing story.
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. now formally faces an impeachment case after the first complaint was filed on Monday, January 19.
Lawyer Andres de Jesus, who filed the complaint with the House Office of the Secretary General, was the only complainant. It was endorsed by Rep. Jett Nisay (Pusong Pinoy Party-list).
Speaking to reporters, De Jesus said the impeachment complaint is anchored on three grounds: culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust.
Grounds cited
In recent months, impeachment calls against Marcos have been fueled by flood control investigations and a corruption scandal that alleges he and former high-ranking officials he appointed pocketed billions by manipulating the budget.
De Jesus, however, laid out other reasons for the impeachment complaint. Beyond the ongoing flood control mess, he said he wants the president held accountable for allowing former president Rodrigo Duterte's arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.
"We are putting to question and holding the president accountable, number 1, for allowing a citizen of our country to be whisked away, kidnapped virtually and brought to a foreign land without due process, despite fully functioning courts here in the country," he told reporters.
He also pointed to Marcos' handling of the 2026 budget, saying the complaint was filed because the president did not veto P243 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, allowing P150 billion to remain despite having all authority to veto it.
De Jesus further questioned Marcos' fitness to lead the country, pointing to allegations of illegal drug use. Malacañang, however, has since denied these accusations, which were recently amplified by Marcos' own sister, Sen. Imee Marcos.
House process, political reaction
Asked if he was confident about securing enough votes to move the impeachment forward, the lawyer replied that what mattered was simply that he tried. "Win or lose," he said.
In the House, the National Unity Party said last week that its leaders would oppose any impeachment attempt against Marcos, citing a lack of constitutional or factual grounds.
Still, Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno said that if a complaint is filed, party members would comply with established legal standards and follow proper procedure in handling impeachment cases.
Under House rules, once an impeachment complaint is filed, it must be referred to the Office of the Speaker and included in the Order of Business within 10 session days. It is then referred to the Committee on Justice within three session days for deliberation.
The Committee on Justice will determine whether the complaint is sufficient in form and substance, and whether it has probable cause to proceed. This process involves hearings to review the evidence and the defenses of the respondents.
If the committee finds no probable cause or sufficient grounds, it may recommend the dismissal of the complaint through a resolution. The House plenary, however, may override such a recommendation if at least one-third of all House members vote to proceed with the impeachment trial and the preparation of articles of impeachment.
The impeachment complaint against Marcos may also be endorsed by at least one-third of all House members to proceed without having to undergo hearings at the committee level, similar to Vice President Sara Duterte's case.
The Supreme Court, however, recently ruled that Duterte’s impeachment was unconstitutional due to due process violations and a breach of the one-year bar rule.
The high court said Duterte was denied due process because she was not heard before the complaint was sent to the Senate. It also ruled that archiving three earlier complaints to allow a fourth to proceed violated the Constitution’s one-year bar on impeachment cases against the same official.
With an impeachment complaint filed against Marcos and another anticipated against Duterte, Congress faces the prospect of deciding whether the country’s top officials could lose their posts. The next question: who should step in to lead?
