A third impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was filed on January 22, 2026 at the House of Representatives of the Philippines,

The complainants include former members of the House of Representatives and former government officials, adding to a series of impeachment-related developments surrounding the President.

However, the complaint was not received by the Office of the Secretary General, a procedural issue that immediately drew attention. Former congressman Mike Defensor argued that the refusal to receive the complaint constitutes a violation of the Constitution and the House Rules on Impeachment.

Under the Philippine Constitution, impeachment complaints must follow specific filing and reception procedures before the House can assess sufficiency in form and substance. Any deviation from these steps can raise constitutional and procedural questions, potentially affecting whether a complaint is deemed validly filed.

Legal analysts note that impeachment is a rules-bound process, where both the act of filing and the manner of receipt carry legal weight. Beyond the allegations themselves, disputes over procedure can become central issues—sometimes determining outcomes before substantive discussions even begin.

For the public, the episode reinforces a recurring theme in impeachment politics: process often matters as much as intent.

In constitutional systems, a case does not move by declaration alone—it moves when rules are followed.