The House Committee on Justice will convene on Monday, February 2, to begin deliberations on two impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., focusing on whether the charges meet constitutional standards of sufficiency in form and substance.
The hearings, chaired by Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, will start at 10 a.m. and mark the first time impeachment complaints against Marcos have advanced to this stage in the chamber. The committee will hear opening statements from the complainants, lawyer Andre de Jesus and a group of former Makabayan lawmakers and militant group leaders, before deciding whether to consolidate the two filings.
Luistro said the panel has scheduled daily sessions until Wednesday to deliberate on the complaints. The committee’s task is to determine if the charges pass the initial sufficiency tests; only then can the impeachment move proceed to plenary consideration.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon underscored that the process will be guided by constitutional principles and the conscience of lawmakers.
“Impeachment proceedings will always be based on facts, it will be based on evidence, and decisions relating to the impeachment will be based on the conscience of every House member,” Ridon said. He added that external opinions will not influence the committee’s vote.
Ridon noted that the central questions remain whether the President committed a culpable violation of the Constitution or a betrayal of public trust. “Let us await the presentation by the complainants of all the grounds they will invoke in filing the case against President Marcos,” he said.
The hearings come amid reports of health concerns surrounding the Chief Executive, though Marcos has assured the public he is recovering.
Luistro clarified that the President’s attendance is optional: “It is actually his prerogative whether to come or not to come. If he will choose not to come, that will be interpreted as a waiver of his right to be present during the hearing.”
The committee’s ruling on sufficiency will determine whether the impeachment complaints against Marcos advance further in the legislative process. (ZIA LUNA)
