Rep. Zamora sees enough votes, solid impeachment case vs Sara Duterte
San Juan City Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, Vice Chair of the House Committee on Justice, believes there are enough votes and a solid case to proceed with the impeachment of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, despite political concerns. She noted that at least one-third of all House members (around 106) would need to support the impeachment for it to be transmitted to the Senate.
The impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte have entered a new phase in March 2026, with the House Committee on Justice, led by Vice Chair Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, declaring two impeachment complaints sufficient in substance on March 4, 2026. The committee issued a notice directing Duterte to respond to the complaints, which allege multiple grounds including graft, corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, misuse of confidential funds, threats against officials, plunder (involving over ₱500 million), assassination plots, unexplained wealth, and sedition. The formal hearings began on March 25, 2026, with the committee conducting a four-day proceeding to examine the evidence and allegations.
Rep. Zamora has been actively involved in the proceedings, moving to declare the impeachment complaints sufficient and overseeing the hearing process. During the March 25 hearing, she read the ground rules and the committee addressed various procedural matters, including Duterte's non-participation in the proceedings. The committee issued subpoenas for Duterte's Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) from 2007 to 2025, requested NBI investigation records on alleged threats, sought COA records on Office of the Vice President and Department of Education funds, and considered witness protection for Ramil Madriaga, among other evidentiary matters.
The current impeachment efforts follow earlier attempts in 2024-2025, when four complaints were filed in December 2024 and received House approval on February 5, 2025, only to be remanded by the Senate on June 10, 2025. Duterte filed a motion to dismiss on June 23, 2025, citing the constitutional one-year bar on impeachment proceedings. Rep. Zamora and Rep. Leila de Lima have clarified that a Supreme Court decision from July 2025 focused on procedural issues rather than the merits of the case and explicitly allows re-filing of the same grounds without absolving Duterte of the allegations.
For the impeachment to proceed to the Senate for trial, it requires approval by at least one-third of all House members (approximately 106 representatives). While Rep. Zamora has expressed confidence in having enough votes and a solid case, the actual vote count and political support remain uncertain as the committee continues its hearings. The proceedings occur amid the ongoing political feud between the Marcos and Duterte factions, with Duterte having announced her presidential run for 2028 while facing these impeachment challenges.
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