53-0 VOTE ROCKS DUTERTE CAMP: HOUSE PANEL OKs IMPEACH RAP

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (April 30)  — The impeachment push vs. Vice President Sara Duterte just hit overdrive after the House Committee on Justice delivered a crushing 53-0 vote finding probable cause—clearing the runway for a full House showdown.

Two complaints—backed by lawmakers including Leila de Lima and Bienvenido Abante Jr.—were approved without a single objection, then merged into one sweeping case.

Committee chair Gerville Luistro ordered the drafting of the Articles of Impeachment, now headed to plenary—where one-third of all House members can send Duterte straight to a Senate trial.

FOLLOW THE MONEY, SAY LAWMAKERS

At the center: alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds tied to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.

Lawmakers cited:

• Testimony of alleged cash handler Ramil Madriaga 
• Red flags raised by the National Bureau of Investigation 
• Disallowances by the Commission on Audit 
• Missing identities flagged by the Philippine Statistics Authority 

Also in the spotlight: ₱6.77 billion in flagged transactions reported by the Anti-Money Laundering Council and alleged gaps in Duterte’s asset disclosures.

THREATS, TIES, AND A ‘PATTERN’

 Endorsers pointed to alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez—calling them serious, not jokes.

Abante summed it up bluntly: “There’s enough smoke to prove there’s fire.”

NEXT STOP: SENATE?

The battle now shifts to the House floor. If the numbers hold, Duterte could face a high-stakes Senate trial that will decide her political fate.

BOTTOM LINE: Unanimous vote. Explosive allegations. One step away from a historic impeachment fight.