Philippines VP Sara Duterte Faces Impeachment Over Threats, Fund Misuse

Philippine lawmakers have moved forward with impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, requiring her to respond to serious allegations. The charges include misusing public funds, unexplained wealth, and publicly threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Legislators in the Philippines have directed Vice President Sara Duterte to address impeachment charges filed against her, after a committee determined there was merit to serious accusations on Wednesday.

The House of Representatives’ justice committee found sufficient grounds for allegations that include unexplained wealth accumulation, improper use of government funds, and making death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Sara Duterte, whose father Rodrigo Duterte previously served as the nation’s president, is widely considered a leading candidate for the 2028 presidential race and has publicly stated her intention to seek the presidency. Last year, she successfully weathered a previous impeachment attempt that the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed for constitutional violations.

Should the Senate find her guilty during a trial, Duterte would lose her current position and be permanently barred from any future government roles.

Her legal representatives have not yet provided a statement regarding the impeachment proceedings.

The committee’s decision on Wednesday highlights the dramatic deterioration of relations between two political powerhouses from influential families who initially won office together in 2022 before their alliance crumbled into rivalry.

Prior to any formal vote on proceeding with an impeachment trial, House members will review Duterte’s response to the accusations, should she choose to provide one, along with any additional statements from those who filed the complaints.

The accusations against the vice president encompass the inappropriate use of classified government funds, accepting bribes, possessing wealth without clear sources, and making public statements threatening the assassination of Marcos, his spouse, and a relative who served as House speaker.

Representative Leila de Lima, who supported one of the complaints against Duterte, told Reuters: “This is a very good development that the process of accountability is now moving.”

Originally, four separate impeachment complaints were submitted against Duterte, though the number was reduced after one was rejected due to regulations preventing such filings within one year of a previous submission. Another complaint was voluntarily withdrawn to expedite the process since it contained similar allegations to another filing.

Last month, Marcos himself successfully avoided a separate impeachment effort when his congressional supporters voted to reject it.