With a vote of 217-4, the House of Representatives affirmed Tuesday the unanimous decision of the committee on justice junking the impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who chairs the panel, said the decision of the plenary was expected.

“The decision was expected in this political exercise,” said Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali after the plenary adopted House Committee Report No. 1015 dismissing the impeachment complaint.

Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu said the decision was an affirmation of his colleagues’ “respect to the overwhelming mandate given by the people to the President.”

On May 22, the justice committee, chaired by Umali, adopted their May 15 decision where 42 lawmakers thumbed down the impeachment complaint and supplemental one filed by Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano after admitting he had no personal knowledge on the allegations.

The impeachment complaint was considered initiated on May 9 following the plenary referral to Umali’s panel, the date when the one-year bar on filing a similar impeachment complaint against President Duterte took effect. DMS