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Delon Porcalla - The Philippine Star
March 10, 2026 | 12:00am
Vice President Sara Duterte holds a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 to announce her presidential bid in the upcoming 2028 elections.
The Philippines STAR / Miguel de Guzman
MANILA, Philippines — The National Unity Party has once again changed its tune on the ongoing impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte, backing out from its “conscience vote” and returning to its initial call for “new evidence.”
“Contrary to some news reports, we have not walked back on our previous statements regarding this impeachment,” House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno, who sits as NUP chairman in the House of Representatives, said in a statement.
“Our position remains consistent. We reiterate that we cannot vote in favor of a rehashed case resting on previously presented information that, in our opinion, remain weak and inconclusive,” he said, implying that NUP will not support the impeachment if there is “no new and stronger” proof.
In late February, Puno’s NUP colleague, former House secretary-general Reginald Velasco, issued a statement declaring categorically that their party – the second largest political party in the House – will not support or vote for Duterte’s impeachment, especially in the “absence of new evidence.”
This was practically taken down the next day by Puno himself, who clarified that NUP members, numbering around 40 or so in the entire lower legislative chamber, can and are free to exercise their “conscience vote” if they want to.
But yesterday, the NUP leadership returned to their original stand, this time coming from Puno.
“Now that the House committee on justice has voted on the substance of the impeachment complaints against VP Duterte, the NUP urges the committee to present new evidence and a stronger case as the hearings proceed,” he urged panel chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro.
“The NUP does not want to send a weak case to the Senate only for it to be summarily dismissed. Doing so would only weaken the credibility of the impeachment process and diminish the gravity of this constitutional mechanism,” Puno reiterated.
