MANILA, Philippines – Except for the left-leaning Makabayan bloc, all House lawmakers with senatorial aspirations in the 2025 midterm elections did not sign the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The most notable are Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar, who are part of the administration slate Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas.

Tulfo explained that as the frontrunner in the senatorial race, based on surveys, he must remain impartial, should the trial spill over to the next batch of senators.

“As a top contender in the upcoming senatorial elections, I may be among the new senators tasked with judging the said impeachment complaint. When that time comes, I will meticulously examine every piece of evidence presented before the body,” he said.

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Other Tulfos in the House, however, listed themselves as complainants, namely Quezon City 2nd District Representative Ralph Tulfo and ACT-CIS Representative Jocelyn Tulfo. The two are son and wife of Senator Raffy Tulfo.

Independent senatorial candidates Bonifacio Bosita of 1-Rider, AGRI Representative Wilbert Lee, and Valenzuela 2nd District Representative Eric Martinez, who was previously with former president Rodrigo Duterte’s party PDP, also did not sign the complaint.

Bosita’s co-nominee in 1-Rider Rodge Gutierrez, however, not only signed the complaint, but agreed to be part of the prosecution team against the Vice President.

Rodante Marcoleta, running under the PDP banner and an ally of the Dutertes, was expectedly absent from the list of signatories as well.

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers and House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, both running for senator under the banner of Makabayan, also unsurprisingly signed the fourth complaint, as they already endorsed the second complaint filed against Duterte in December.

Here’s how other relatives of senatorial bets voted:

• Cavite 8th District Representative Aniela Tolentino, niece of reelectionist Senator Francis Tolentino, did not sign the complaint.
• Reelectionist Senator Bong Revilla’s wife, Cavite 2nd District Representative Lani Revilla, and his sons, Agimat Representative Bryan Revilla and Cavite 1st District Representative Jolo Revilla, did not sign the complaint.
• Former interior secretary Benhur Abalos’ nephew JC Abalos of party-list group 4PS signed the impeachment complaint.
• Makati Mayor Abby Binay’s husband, Makati 2nd District Representative Luis Campos Jr., did not sign the complaint.

– Rappler.com