​CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez raised concerns over the legal sufficiency of several allegations contained in the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, saying many of the accusations appear to lack the evidence required under the Constitution.

​The House Committee on Justice, however, has declared the third impeachment complaint against Duterte sufficient in substance, allowing the proceedings to move to the next stage of the impeachment process.

​The decision came after the panel completed discussions on the complaints during Wednesday’s hearing.

​Committee chair Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro allowed members to vote on whether the third and fourth impeachment complaints met the constitutional requirement of being sufficient in substance.

​For the third impeachment complaint, filed by clergy members and lawyers led by Catholic priest Joel Saballa, 54 lawmakers voted in favor of declaring the complaint sufficient in substance, while one voted against it and none abstained.

​Breaking down his concerns, Rodriguez examined the key grounds cited in the complaint — including plunder, malversation, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes — and said some of the allegations do not meet the legal standards required to support impeachment.

​On plunder, Rodriguez said the complaint fails to establish the essential elements of the offense, particularly the requirement to prove unlawful accumulation of wealth or personal enrichment.

​Regarding malversation, he argued that the Vice President cannot automatically be held liable for alleged misuse of funds because she is not the accountable officer who personally disbursed the money.

​Rodriguez also pointed out that the complaint does not present evidence that Duterte personally received funds or conspired with others for financial gain, which he said is necessary to sustain graft allegations.

​He further noted the absence of definitive findings from the Commission on Audit (COA) regarding the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

​“There is no COA finding of corruption with respect to the P125 million confidential funds,” Rodriguez said.

​However, Rodriguez acknowledged that the allegation of betrayal of public trust could have some basis for further examination, as it contains a recital of factual claims that could be assessed during impeachment proceedings.

​Suan questions link to VP

​During the hearing, Cagayan de Oro 1st District Rep. Lordan Suan also raised questions about whether the complaint clearly establishes a direct link between the alleged misuse of confidential funds and the Vice President herself.

​Suan asked Rep. Leila de Lima, who endorsed the third impeachment complaint, how the filing demonstrates a “clear nexus” between the alleged offenses and Duterte.

​De Lima responded that Duterte, as head of the Office of the Vice President, approved cash disbursements and liquidation reports, and therefore bore responsibility for the use of confidential funds under the principle of command responsibility.

​“There is testimony to the effect that the [instructions] to give [money] to various persons not contemplated within the object of confidential funds are through the orders of the vice president,” De Lima said.

​Local reaction

​In Cagayan de Oro, former city councilor George Goking said Rodriguez’s latest statements on the impeachment issue could draw mixed reactions from the public and may have political implications.

​Goking said the congressman’s position might make him appear as a “fence-sitter” on the issue and could affect his possible campaign in the 2028 national elections.

​“He (Rodriguez) was a staunch ‘anti-Sara’ before and now he is suddenly pro-Sara. It is inconsistent,” Goking told Mindanao Gold Star Daily.

​Rodriguez had not issued a response to Goking’s remarks as of posting time.