MANILA, Philippines – The House committee on justice decided there is probable cause in an impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, in a 38-2 vote on Thursday, March 8. 

The vote means the committee has agreed that there are grounds for impeachment. It now begins drafting a committee report that contains the Articles of Impeachment. 

Once the committee approves its report, it will be sent to the House plenary for voting. If one-third of the House agreed with the report recommending Sereno’s impeachment, she will be deemed impeached. 

Here’s how the committee, composed of regular and ex-officio (House leaders who are automatically part of the committee) members voted on March 8, according to data from the House media bureau: 

VOTED YES (There is probable cause)

Regular members

1. Oriental Mindoro 1st District Representative Doy Leachon 
2. Misamis Occidental 2nd District Representative Henry Oaminal 
3. Cavite 2nd District Representative Strike Revilla 
4. Cavite 5th District Representative Roy Loyola 
5. Pangasinan 6th District Representative Marlyn Primicias-Aggabas
6. Leyte 4th District Representative Lucy Gomez 
7. Pangasinan 3rd District Representative Rose Marie Arenas
8. Compostela Valley 2nd District Representative Ruwel Peter Gonzaga 
9. Camiguin Representative Xavier Jesus Romualdo 
10. Zamboanga Sibugay 2nd District Representative Ann Hofer
11. AKO BICOL Representative Rodel Batocabe 
12. Kabayan Representative Ron Salo 
13. 1-CAR Representative Carlos Roman Uybarreta 
14. Sagip Representative Rodante Marcoleta 
15. Antipolo City 2nd District Representative Romeo Acop 
16. Kalinga Representative Abigail Faye Ferriol-Pascual 
17. Kabayan Representative Ciriaco Calalang
18. Leyte 3rd District Representative Vicente Veloso

Ex-officio members (House leaders who are automatic members of the committee)

1. Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (through Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel) 
2. Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu 
3. Deputy Speaker Eric Singson 
4. Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro 
5. Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia 
6. Deputy Speaker Mylene Garcia-Albano
7. Deputy Speaker Linabelle Ruth Villarica (through Yacap Representative Benhur Lopez) 
8. Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez 
9. Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas 
10. Senior Deputy Majority Leader Juan Pablo Bondoc 
11. Deputy Majority Leader Arthur Defensor Jr. 
12. Deputy Majority Leader Roger Mercado 
13. Deputy Majority Leader Vincent Crisologo 
14. Deputy Majority Leader Aurelio Gonzales 
15. Deputy Majority Leader Victoria Noel 
16. Deputy Majority Leader Gerald Gullas 
17. Deputy Minority Leader Alfredo Garbin Jr
18. Deputy Minority Leader Eugene de Vera 
19. Deputy Minority Leader Anthony Bravo 
20. Deputy Minority Leader Luis Jose Campos Jr

VOTED NO (There is no probable cause) 

1. Quezon City 6th District Representative Jose Christopher Belmonte 
2. Dinagat Representative Kaka Bag-ao

Committee vice chairpersons Veloso, Leachon, Oaminal, Fuentebella, and Revilla have been tasked to create the committee report, which will be voted upon on March 14. It is expected to be tackled and voted on before plenary by May 2018, when Congress resumes session after a two-month break.  – Rappler.com