“Not a judgement, but a stand for accountability” – Baguio Rep. Domogan clarifies vote in favor of impeachment proceedings against VP Duterte

Baguio City, Philippines – Baguio Representative Mauricio Domogan clarified that his decision to vote in favor of the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte was not meant to declare her guilty but was part of his duty as a lawmaker under the Constitution.

Earlier, the House of Representatives Committee on Justice, where Domogan serves as a member, unanimously approved the impeachment complaint against Duterte on May 4, 2026, with all 55 members present voting in favor.

In a written statement, Domogan said that testimonial and documentary evidence were presented before the committee, while witnesses and resource persons testified under oath during the hearings.

According to him, the committee first conducted hearings and gathered evidence before the matter was brought to the plenary for voting.

“The proceedings were neither perfunctory nor superficial. They were deliberate, methodical, and exhaustive,” wrote Domogan.

Domogan further stated that Duterte and her legal counsel were repeatedly informed about the hearings and were also given opportunities to answer the allegations and present counter-evidence before the committee.

However, no countervailing evidence was submitted to the committee.

On May 11, the House of Representatives approved the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte after 255 lawmakers voted in favor of the resolution, while 26 voted against it and 9 abstained.

With the approval of the lower chamber, Duterte became the first vice president of the Philippines to face impeachment proceedings twice.

The result of the voting, according to Domogan, only showed that the House exercised its constitutional duty of determining probable cause based on the evidence presented during the proceedings.

He said that a vote supporting the impeachment should not be interpreted as judgment against Duterte but as support for accountability under the constitutional process.

“A vote in favor of the Resolution is not a judgment against the respondent. This is not political persecution but a vote for public accountability," added Domogan.

The Baguio Congressman also explained that the House of Representatives is not tasked with determining guilt or innocence during impeachment proceedings but instead the senate.

Under the Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the Senate has the "sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment".

Once the House of Representatives transmits the Articles of Impeachment, the Senate must convene as an impeachment court to hear the evidence and determine the liability of the official.

“Let the case now proceed to the Senate, where it properly belongs. Let the evidence be tested. Let both sides be heard. And above all, let truth and accountability prevail,” Domogan further wrote.