The headlines were filled once again. On February 2, 2026, the halls of Congress echoed with the familiar clatter of impeachment filings as the Makabayan Coalition and various civil society groups submitted two fresh complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. To some, it feels like justice is finally finding its legs, but to others, it feels like a déjà vu that we’ve seen play out before with very little to show for it. Let’s be real, in the theater of Philippine politics, a complaint is merely a script. Without the political will to act, it is nothing more than paper waiting to finally be written on.
The allegations are heavy. We are talking about the alleged betrayal of public trust involving ₱612.5 million in confidential funds—money that critics say was liquidated with "implausible" reports and "fabricated" documents. The second complaint, backed by Leila de Lima and Kiko Aquino Dee, paints a darker picture of "corruption, concealment, and violence." These are not light accusations; they publicize how our taxes are spent and how our leaders respect the Constitution.
However, the filing of a complaint is the easy part. Any citizen or group with a lawyer and a sense of grievance can walk into the House of Representatives and file a stack of papers. The real test is what happens next.
History has shown us that impeachment in the Philippines is rarely about the "substance" of the law. We have seen valid complaints die in the Committee on Justice because the numbers didn't add up or because the political winds shifted. We have seen technicalities—like the one-year bar rule—used as shields to protect the powerful from ever having to answer a single question under oath.
If our democracy is to mean anything, "accountability" cannot be a seasonal buzzword. If there is evidence of the misuse of millions of pesos during a time when Filipinos are struggling with inflation and basic needs, that evidence deserves a day in court—or in this case, a trial in the Senate.
Action means the House Committee on Justice must look at these documents with an impartial eye, rather than a political one. Action means the vice president providing clear, transparent answers about those 11 days of holiday spending that the Commission on Audit has already flagged. Action means moving beyond the "culture of impunity" where the second-highest official in the land can simply ignore congressional oversight.
A complaint without action is just noise. It’s a performative gesture that eventually leads to public cynicism. If the representatives of the people truly believe that "no one is above the law," then they must prove it. They must move these complaints forward, let the evidence speak, and let the process reach its logical conclusion.
In the end, we are just watching another episode of a long-running political drama—the Filipino people are tired of reruns; they want results.
Written by Gabriel Reduta (Red Ink), Insight PH
Gabriel Reduta (Red Ink), Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
