Philippine Congress Deliberates Impeachment Motion Against President Marcos

Manila: The Philippine Congress is currently deliberating on whether to initiate an impeachment process against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Members of the House of Representatives have convened to assess the merits of the accusations, which include undermining public trust, corruption, and constitutional violations.According to Thai News Agency, President Marcos Jr., who has reached the midpoint of his six-year term, has denied all allegations against him. Two impeachment motions, filed by lawyers and activist groups, have already passed the initial review by the House Judiciary Committee, which confirmed that the documents met the required formatting standards. On Tuesday, the committee resumed discussions to decide if the motions possess enough substance to move forward. Regardless of the committee's findings, a decision by the full House of Representatives is necessary. Notably, President Marcos Jr. holds significant support in the House, where many members are his allies.The impeachment motions acc use President Marcos Jr. of allowing the arrest and extradition of former President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague, Netherlands, to face trial at the International Criminal Court for his "war on drugs" policy, which led to numerous deaths. Additionally, Marcos Jr. is alleged to have misused public funds, resulting in corruption scandals related to flood prevention projects and to have engaged in drug use-allegations he has consistently refuted. The presidential palace has stated that President Marcos Jr. respects the ongoing investigation process.Under the Philippine Constitution, should the House of Representatives approve the impeachment proceedings, the case will advance to the Senate for trial, with all 24 senators serving as jurors. Historically, only five high-ranking officials in the Philippines have faced impeachment, with only one, a former Chief Justice, being found guilty and removed from office.Among the officials previously impeached is Vice President Sara Duterte, who currently has a strained relationship with President Marcos Jr. Her earlier impeachment case was dismissed by the Supreme Court, but she faces a new motion filed in Congress on February 2, 2026. Duterte denies all charges, describing the proceedings as politically motivated.In a related development, the International Criminal Court, in January, determined that former President Duterte, aged 80, is fit to attend pretrial hearings. The court has scheduled a hearing to confirm the allegations against him for February 23rd. An independent medical expert report confirmed Duterte's capability to understand and participate in the judicial process, following a comprehensive assessment of his physical and mental health.Former President Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and extradited to The Hague in March of last year. He faces charges of crimes against humanity due to the severe anti-drug policy enacted during his presidency.