An impeachment complaint was formally filed against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Monday with the House of Representatives on grounds of graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust.

Atty. Andre de Jesus, was the complaint and endorsed by Pusong Pinoy Party-list Representative Jett Nisay.

House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil confirmed receiving the impeachment complaint against the President on Monday morning.

It was the first impeachment complaint filed against Marcos.

De Jesus said Marcos violated the Constitution and betrayed public trust by surrendering former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“We are putting to question…holding the President accountable for number one, allowing a citizen of the country to be whisked away, kidnapped, without due process, despite the functioning courts in our country,” de Jesus told reporters.

Duterte was arrested in March 2025 over alleged crimes against humanity due to drug war killings during his presidency. De Jesus said Duterte was arrested without a valid Philippine warrant of arrest. Duterte has since been detained in The Hague in the Netherlands and is facing charges before the ICC.

De Jesus also said Marcos is unfit to serve as president due to his alleged drug addiction which impairs his judgment, erodes discipline, and undermines moral authority.

He cited the statement of the president’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos, who said the chief executive has been using drugs.

“Respondent’s refusal to submit to a drug test conclusively demonstrates his disregard for transparency and accountability… By remaining silent and evasive, Respondent tellingly confirmed public suspicion and betrayed the trust of a nation he swore to serve,” de Jesus said in the complaint.

“An allegation that a sitting President might be somehow involved in addiction of any sort to prohibited drugs should be alarming. It has been an issue that has been dodged by the President, sweeping it under the rug. That failure to react can be taken against you,” de Jesus told reporters.

“Silence means yes. We have not heard from the President denying it. We have not heard from the President undergoing procedure to debunk all these rumors,” de Jesus said.

Marcos however was “disappointed” after Senator Imee Marcos accused the First Family of using illegal drugs, according to Malacañang.

De Jesus also alleged that Marcos engaged in graft and corruption through kickbacks and ghost projects.

This the president allegedly did by orchestrating “the insertion of massive amounts into the General Appropriations Act to create a pool of funds for kickbacks – a scheme publicly exposed and widely discussed, leaving no room for denial,” he said in the complaint.

Marcos also allegedly created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure for probing flood control projects to shield his corrupt allies, de Jesus said.

De Jesus also alleged that Marcos betrayed public trust by failing to veto unprogrammed appropriations and other unconstitutional provisions in the General Appropriations Bill for the years 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

He said that the president should be impeached over the signing of a national budget that allowed the transfer of excess PhilHealth funds to the National Treasury in violation of various laws.

Unprogrammed appropriations are budget items which will only be funded if there is excess government revenue collection or other sources of funding such as special laws or loans. The President makes the final call on which budget item under the unprogrammed appropriations will be funded once there is an available funding.

“We are also holding the President accountable for failing to veto unprogrammed appropriations despite being able to do so. The President had every opportunity to veto…he signed that [2025] budget even if the Supreme Court said that the PhilHealth part of that budget is unconstitutional,” de Jesus added.

It was the 2025 national budget which contained a provision allowing the transfer of excess PhilHealth funds, but this has since been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

The President, however, signed the 2025 national budget before the issuance of the Supreme Court decision.

“Impeachment exists precisely for eventualities such as those discussed herein -when a President systematically abuses power, blatantly disregards the Constitution, and betrays public trust. Respondent [Marcos] has demonstrated a pattern of corruption, disloyalty to constitutional order, and moral unfitness,” the complaint added.

De Jesus then said Marcos’ continued stay in office “undermines democratic governance” and therefore “justifies and necessitates impeachment.”

According to Article XI of the 1987 Constitution under “Accountability of Public Officers”, the president, vice president, members of the Supreme Court, members of the Constitutional commissions, and the Ombudsman may be removed from their posts “on impeachment for, and conviction of” the following:

• culpable violation of the Constitution
• treason
• bribery
• graft and corruption
• other high crimes
• betrayal of public trust