THE complainants behind the second verified impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte have formally withdrawn their case and expressed support for the third impeachment complaint now pending before the House Committee on Justice.
In a letter dated March 2, 2026, addressed to Committee on Justice Chairperson Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” R. Luistro, the private complainants requested the withdrawal of their verified complaint originally filed on February 2, 2026.
The complainants said that after “careful deliberation and reflection,” they decided to withdraw their complaint to support the third impeachment complaint filed by Rev. Fr. Joel Saballa and others, which was endorsed by Rep. Leila M. de Lima.
They explained that the third complaint contains “the same allegations and substantial evidence” as their earlier filing. According to the group, consolidating efforts behind one complaint would make the accountability process “more expedient” and avoid possible procedural delays.
The letter stated that the move aims to prevent any issues regarding filing schedules from being used to question the impeachment proceedings. Despite the withdrawal, the complainants emphasized that they remain committed to pursuing accountability and justice.
Separately, Rep. Percival V. Cendaña and Rep. De Lima also wrote to the House Committee on Justice formally manifesting the withdrawal of their endorsement of the second complaint and reiterating their support for the third impeachment complaint.
They noted that the withdrawal was made in the interest of procedural efficiency and to prevent unnecessary delays in the process before the committee.
The letters were received by the Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives on March 2, 2026.
As of posting, the House Committee on Justice has yet to issue a statement regarding the effect of the withdrawal on the pending impeachment proceedings.
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