Impeachment is the constitutional mechanism that Congress uses to remove the highest government officials for grave abuses of power. This proceeding is sui generis—a class of its own, meaning it is political in nature, not criminal, civil, or administrative. 

The process is reserved exclusively for the President, Vice President, Members of the Supreme Court, Members of Constitutional Commissions (COMELEC, COA, CSC), and the Ombudsman. It is a rigorous, two-stage system designed to ensure that no official, regardless of their position, is above the law, while simultaneously protecting them from frivolous or politically motivated harassment.  

According to Attorney Jennifer Reyes, author of a book about constitutional law, “Under our 1987 Philippine Constitution, ang impeachment ay proseso ng kung saan ang mga impeachable official ay maaaring tanggalin sa pwesto kung sila ay nag violate ng konstitusyon, especially if it is a culpable violation.”

[“Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, impeachment is the process by which impeachable officials may be removed from office if they violate the Constitution, especially if it is a culpable violation.”]

The Constitution strictly limits the grounds for removal. An impeachable official can only be removed for and convicted of culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust. 

This specific and exclusive list prevents impeachment from being weaponized for ordinary policy disputes or minor errors. Furthermore, the essential one-year bar rule dictates that no impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year, a safeguard designed to prevent the official's work from being continuously obstructed by endless complaints.  

The impeachment process is formally initiated in the House of Representatives. A verified complaint, complete with supporting evidence, can be filed by any member of the House or by a private citizen if endorsed by at least one House member. 

Attorney Reyes added that, “Under the 1987 Constitution, ito ay pwedeng i-file through a verified complaint ng isang miyembro ng House of Representatives.”

[“Under the 1987 Constitution, this may be filed through a verified complaint by a member of the House of Representatives.”]

The complaint is then referred to the Committee on Justice, which determines if it is sufficient in form and substance. A parallel and faster mechanism allows a verified complaint or resolution filed by at least one-third (1/3) of all House Members to immediately constitute the Articles of Impeachment, bypassing the committee stage entirely and moving directly to the next phase.  

Once approved by the House, the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted to the Senate, which possesses the sole power to try and decide the case, effectively acting as an impeachment court. 

“If the articles of impeachment were already transmitted to the Senate, under our 1987 Constitution, trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed,” the lawyer emphasized.

The senators are required to take an oath of political neutrality before the trial begins. The trial is presided over by different officials depending on the accused: the Chief Justice presides if the President is on trial, while the Senate President presides over the trial of any other impeachable official. The House of Representatives selects a panel of its members to act as the prosecutors during the proceedings. 

To secure a conviction and removal from office, the Articles of Impeachment must be affirmed by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of all the Members of the Senate. This supermajority requirement underscores the gravity of removing a high official from a democratic mandate. 

The penalty is strictly limited to removal from office and disqualification from holding any public office in the Philippines. Crucially, a conviction in the Senate does not preclude subsequent criminal or civil charges against the removed official, which must be pursued separately in the regular courts. 

“If the impeachable official ay mako-convict at siya ay mare-remove as a public official, tandaan po natin na ang kaakibat lamang na penalty ng impeachment ay removal from office and perpetual disqualification to hold a public office under the Republic of the Philippines,” Attorney Reyes discussed.

["If the impeachable official is convicted and removed as a public official, we must remember that the only penalties associated with impeachment are removal from office and perpetual disqualification to hold any public office under the Republic of the Philippines."]

To learn more about the impeachment process and how it works in the Philippines, please watch this video EXPLAINED: Impeachment Process in the Philippines and make sure to subscribe to UNTV socials for more interesting videos