Philippine lawmakers met on Tuesday to decide whether to advance impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who faces allegations of betraying public trust, corruption, and violating the constitution.
Marcos, midway through his six-year term, denies any wrongdoing. He faces two separate complaints filed by a lawyer and activists, both of which passed an initial review by the House justice committee on Monday, with lawmakers ruling them “sufficient in form.”
The committee reconvened Tuesday to assess whether the complaints have sufficient “substance” to move forward. Whatever the committee decides will then be put to a vote in the lower house of Congress, which is dominated by allies of the president.
If the complaints pass a House vote, Marcos would become only the second Philippine head of state to be impeached, following Joseph Estrada, whose 2001 trial ended prematurely after some prosecutors walked out.
The complaints cite Marcos’ decision to allow his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, to be arrested and sent to The Hague to face trial at the International Criminal Court for thousands of killings during Duterte’s controversial “war on drugs.”
Marcos is also accused of misusing public funds in a corruption scandal involving flood-control projects. One complaint even cites alleged drug use, which Marcos has denied, as evidence that he is unfit to lead the country.
Marcos’ office said he respects the process. “Even before, the president already said he did not do anything wrong, did not violate the law and did not commit an impeachable offense,” Presidential press officer Claire Castro told reporters Monday.
If the lower house votes to impeach, the complaint would move to the Senate for trial, where 24 senators serve as jurors. In Philippine history, five top officials have been impeached, but only one—a former chief justice—was convicted and removed from office.
Among the five previously impeached officials was Marcos’ estranged Vice President Sara Duterte. Her impeachment was blocked by the Supreme Court last year, but she now faces new complaints, which she denies.
Gerville Luistro, head of the House justice committee, said members would determine whether Marcos’ alleged offenses meet the threshold for impeachment. “It’s not enough that an impeachable official committed wrongdoing. That wrongdoing must constitute an impeachable offense,” Luistro told broadcaster Teleradyo.
Luistro added that if the House votes to advance the complaints, Marcos will have the opportunity to respond. Impeachment requires the support of one-third of the House of Representative