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Philippine VP Sara Duterte asked by Congress to appear in impeachment ‘mini-trial’
Duterte is invited to attend hearings on March 25, April 14, 22 and 29 to respond to each witness and evidence presented by the complainants; it's a constitutional duty, says a lawmaker
- PUBLISHED: Wed 18 Mar 2026, 2:29 PM UPDATED: Wed 18 Mar 2026, 3:21 PM
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte is being invited to a “mini trial” by the Committee on Justice (CoJ) of the House of Representatives (HOR) to determine probable cause for a full impeachment tribunal by the Philippine Senate.
CoJ chairperson Jinky Luistro told reporters in Manila that Duterte is invited to attend the hearings on Wednesday, March 25, as well as April 14, 22 and 29 to respond to each witness and evidence presented by the complainants.
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The development followed Duterte’s ad cautelam response to the complaints the CoJ earlier decided were both sufficient in form and substance.
“It will be a mini-trial. The full-blown trial will happen in the Senate. This is to give ample opportunity to the complainants to present their witness and evidence per ground as well as for the respondent to reply,” Luistro said.
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Luistro explained that the probable cause hearing was unanimously agreed upon in Wednesday’s sufficiency in ground hearing by the CoJ.
There was no pro-Duterte CoJ member present to object to subjecting Duterte to a mini-trial. Pro-Duterte lawmaker Paolo Marcoleta was present but, as a non-committee member, was not allowed to contest the motion.
Ad Cautelam reply ‘unresponsive’
The committee said Duterte’s ad cautelam reply did not address the allegations of the supposed offences committed by Duterte, such as threatening the life of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, irregular expenditures of public funds, and unexplained wealth.
Ad cautelam (Latin, meaning “with caution”) is a procedural manoeuvre that, while responding, refuses to acknowledge the recipient’s jurisdiction. It is referred to in legal circles as a “just in case” measure.
In her reply submitted on Monday, Duterte alleged that the CoJ had violated her right to due process, while the two approved impeachment complaints failed to state ultimate facts.
Luistro, however, said that Duterte’s reply was more of a motion to dismiss that should have been filed at the Supreme Court (SC).
Luistro said that the CoJ observed due process and it was Duterte who failed to avail of the rules by not being responsive to the allegations in the complaints.
Is there probable cause to impeach?
The committee said it has finished its deliberations on the sufficiency in ground of the impeachment complaints and is shifting to the fourth step of a hearing proper prior to submitting its full report to the HOR plenary.
In the press conference, CoJ member Terry Ridon said the first issues to be discussed are the pending petition for protective custody of former Duterte employee-turned-whistleblower Ramil Madriaga, as well as objections to the participation of two lawyers named by the vice presidents as defence counsels.
Also to be discussed are motions for submissions of the vice president’s bank documents, corporate records, and statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.
Ridon and Luistro assured that Duterte would be given ample opportunity to present evidence to rebut her accusers.
The CoJ, however, admitted that Duterte may choose to ignore the ‘mini-trial’ and seek a restraining order from the SC against the proceedings.
“But until we receive a restraining order or the SC issues an adverse statement (against the hearing), we will simply proceed. This is a constitutional duty,” Luistro said.