Overview
- The House justice committee voted overwhelmingly that two complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lacked sufficient substance.
- The filings accused Marcos of corruption tied to alleged 'ghost' flood-control projects and of enabling Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest for possible transfer to the International Criminal Court, with one also citing unproven drug-use claims.
- Committee vice chair Ysabel Zamora said the complaints failed to show any overt act by the president directing the alleged schemes, and another lawmaker said no specific role was established.
- A plenary vote is expected to determine whether to uphold or override the panel’s findings, and impeachment would require support from at least one-third of the House before proceeding to a Senate trial.
- Opposition figures, including Makabayan bloc lawmaker Sarah Elago, criticized the decision as an effort to block accountability, as public scrutiny over flood-control spending continues.