PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said he has chosen to dedicate his time and energy to addressing pressing national issues and improving the lives of Filipinos, rather than involving himself in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In the second episode of the BBM Podcast aired Saturday, June 21, 2025, Marcos emphasized that the executive branch has no role in the impeachment process, which is handled entirely by the legislative branch.
“Siguro if a president chooses to do that; I choose not to,” Marcos said.
He reiterated that matters of impeachment are the sole responsibility of Congress and the Senate.
“Lahat ng impeachment process nasa lehislatura ‘yan. It’s between Congress and the Senate,” Marcos said.
(All impeachment processes are within the legislature. It’s between Congress and the Senate.)
The President made it clear that his current priorities lie in the government’s development agenda, particularly in sectors that directly affect the people.
“I’m busy with the transport, with the rice, with all of the different things that we are doing that nauubos ang oras ko doon. Wala naman akong papel doon sa impeachment (I have no role in the impeachment),” Marcos said.
Articles of impeachment
On June 11, the House of Representatives certified that the impeachment complaints against Duterte were compliant with the 1987 Constitution.
This followed the return of the articles of impeachment by the Senate, which sought procedural clarification before proceeding with the trial.
The House adopted Resolution No. 2346, affirming that the impeachment proceedings initiated on February 5, 2025, followed the constitutional requirements under Article XI, Section 3, including the handling of multiple complaints filed within a one-year period.
The resolution was authored by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David Suarez, and Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who presided over the session, expressed concern over the Senate’s decision to return the articles but emphasized that the House stood by its constitutional mandate.
The Senate had requested the House to clarify that the constitutional provision limiting impeachment proceedings to once per year per official had not been violated, and to formally affirm its readiness to pursue the complaint.
Over 250 House members had approved the articles of impeachment in February, just before Congress adjourned for the May 2025 elections. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)