Akbayan ‘confident’ impeach complaint vs. Sara Duterte sufficient in form, substance

Members of Tindig Pilipinas, led by Kiko Aquino Dee, Ging Deles, and Fr. Flavie Villanueva, file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on February 2, 2026. The complaint was endorsed by ML Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima and Akbayan Partylist Rep. Perci Cendaña. Members of Tindig Pilipinas, led by convenor Kiko Aquino Dee, join ML Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima and Akbayan Partylist Rep. Perci Cendaña as they file a fresh impeachment complaint at the Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives today, February 2, 2026. The complaint focuses on the alleged misuse of public and confidential funds during Duterte's tenure as Education Secretary and within the Office of the Vice President. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — Akbayan Party expressed confidence that the impeachment complaint it endorsed against Vice President Sara Duterte will be found sufficient in form and substance.

This comes after Duterte in a recorded video on Saturday dismissed the new impeachment complaint against her endorsed by Akbayan Party-list as “baseless" and an alleged "abuse of process".

“We're quite confident kasi we've improved the complaint further, and we're confident na ito ay papasa sa sufficiency in form and sufficiency in substance,” Akbayan president Rafaela David told DZMM Sunday, February 8.

She noted that the complaint consists of 855 pages with annexes substantiating the complaint.

The impeachment complaint against Duterte endorsed by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila De Lima was the second filed after the one-year bar lapsed.

The complaint — filed by Tindig Pilipinas’ Francis “Kiko” Aquino Dee, Sylvia Estrada Claudio, and other civil society leaders — accused Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.

“Meron naman tayong ebidensya na we’re excited to show the public and also ‘yung ating mga kongresista ay maipakita rin na walang lugar ang public service dun sa ganung klaseng pang-aabuso, sa ganung klaseng pambubudol,” David added.

(We have evidence that we're excited to show the public and lawmakers to show that this kind of abuse and fraud has no place in public service)

The Akbayan president further urged the vice president to directly answer the allegations against her as well as the people behind supposed code names like "Mary Grace Piattos".

“So once and for all harapin niya na kasi ‘yung mga charges. Hindi ‘yung gagawa siya ng video on a Saturday morning,” David added.

(She should face the charges once and for all and not do it through a video on a Saturday morning)

Duterte says Akbayan-endorsed complaint ‘baseless', 'an abuse of impeachment'

‘THREAT’ TO POLITICAL CAREER?

David also slammed Duterte after she dismissed the party-list’s credibility to endorse or file a complaint because of supposed "political motivation" behind the move which she said “stemmed from the party-list leader's plan to run for presidency.”

Sen. Risa Hontiveros is a member and chair emerita of Akbayan who earlier expressed openness to run for president in 2028 if there is a united opposition bloc.

David believes this might indicate that Duterte sees Hontiveros as “one of the biggest threats” in her political career.

“Ibabalik ko po yung tanong sa kanya, ilang taon pa bago mag-2028 elections pero parang siya na mismo ang pumili kung sino ba ‘yung banta sa kanya,” she said.

(I throw the question back at her. How many years away are the 2028 elections and yet it seems she has already picked who the biggest threat to her is)

Hontiveros ready to run for President if...

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