Top News

Manila: A significant majority in the Philippines' House of Representatives has voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, citing allegations of unexplained wealth and threats to assassinate the president. This vote reflects the growing divide between the two prominent leaders.

The House, largely influenced by allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., passed the impeachment motion with a tally of 255 in favor, 26 against, and nine abstentions. The two impeachment complaints will now proceed to the Senate for a trial, posing a potential obstacle to Duterte's aspirations for the presidency in 2028.

Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has consistently denied any wrongdoing but has not provided detailed responses to the criminal allegations against her.

She has accused Marcos, his wife, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of corruption and weak leadership, suggesting they are attempting to suppress her political ambitions as the end of Marcos' term approaches.

Previously, she faced impeachment last year but managed to overturn it by successfully arguing in the Supreme Court that the impeachment was unconstitutional due to procedural issues.

Rep. Gerville Luistro, chair of the House Justice Committee, indicated that the impeachment complaints include serious allegations, such as undisclosed large bank transactions and misuse of confidential funds from her office as vice president and former education secretary.

Luistro also referenced Duterte's alarming comments made during a 2024 online news conference, where she threatened to have Marcos and others killed if she were assassinated, asserting that her statement was not a joke.

Duterte later clarified that her remarks were not threats but rather expressions of concern for her safety, which led to a criminal investigation and raised national security issues.

Duterte's legal team has challenged the House Justice Committee's initial findings, arguing that the impeachment process deviated from constitutional norms.

In a related development, Duterte's husband, Manases Carpio, has filed criminal complaints against Luistro and other officials after details of their bank transactions were disclosed during a House hearing, claiming it breached the country's bank secrecy laws.

Former President Duterte is currently detained and facing trial at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his controversial anti-drug policies.

Despite the turmoil, Vice President Duterte maintains a strong popularity rating according to independent polls. She and President Marcos were once allies during the 2022 elections but have since experienced a significant fallout.