​THE House Committee on Justice will discuss preliminary matters Wednesday regarding the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. ​Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro, the committee chairman, said in a mix of Filipino and English during a radio interview Tuesday that the panel will "discuss preliminary matters" on Wednesday. ​Duterte filed her answer to the complaints Monday. ​"I understand that the complainants still have a period of three days to file [a reply]... upon receipt of which our vice president has three days to file [a] rejoinder," Luistro said. ​"So on Wednesday, because we want to take advantage of the opportunity that this is the last session day, we will be discussing some preliminary matters like, for example, what is the appreciation of House members with respect to the motion... is there something that needs to be changed among the ground rules? We need to seek the permission also of the plenary with respect to the intention to hold session during recess," she said. ​Duterte’s answer stated that the complaints must be dismissed. ​"Absent any statement of ultimate facts in any of these impeachment complaints, there is nothing for respondent to answer. Respondent thus only admits averments therein insofar as they allege her election, assumption to the Office of the Vice President, appointment as secretary of education, and her prior offices as mayor and vice mayor of Davao City," it read. ​"The rest of the allegations, including the annexes and so-called evidence attached to the impeachment complaints, are specifically denied for being false, misleading, impertinent, and mere conclusions of fact and law," it read. ​​Meanwhile, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said the impeachment case against Duterte should not be used as an "escape" for those accountable in the flood control issue, noting that some lawmakers may want Duterte impeached because they are "scared" of her becoming president. ​"And if she becomes president, if today they can get off and not be able to be answerable for their mistakes, they think that they will not get away if VP Sara [becomes president]. So if VP Sara wins, they will be answerable," Tiangco told reporters Tuesday. ​"With VP Sara, one million percent they cannot settle. So if you did wrong, do you want someone who will not settle for a million percent to win? What I am saying is that she cannot be settled. I know that and they know that," Tiangco added. ​Tiangco said that he wants "the same standards" followed in the impeachment case against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to be followed in Duterte’s case. He earlier voted that the case against Marcos was "insufficient in substance." ​He stressed that the notice of disallowance from the Commission on Audit was not yet final and is still appealable to the Supreme Court. Tiangco said Duterte's threats against President Marcos, first lady Liza Marcos, and former speaker Martin Romualdez should be filed at the Department of Justice by the individuals who were threatened. ​He said Duterte, as vice president, is not immune from suit, unlike the president. ​Tiangco also questioned the use of Duterte’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) as evidence in her impeachment. ​"You accuse a person with problems on her SALN, but congressmen are hiding in a technicality? So why are the SALNs of congressmen not being released?" said Tiangco, who was among the first lawmakers to release his SALN. ​ In a related development, Michael Wesley Poa, spokesman for Duterte’s defense team, said even if the vice president does not answer the charges against her, the issues raised have been deemed "controverted." ​"But we saw the need to file an answer to show respect to the institution," Poa said in a radio interview. ​He said their reply addresses the "double standards" in the examination of sufficiency of form and substance in the impeachment complaints between Marcos and Duterte. ​"We are not saying that the standards are wrong; what we are saying is that there should not be different standards if both impeachable officials are on equal footing," Poa said.