MANILA, Philippines: A group of civil society activists filed an impeachment complaint on December 2 against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, accusing her of constitutional violations, corruption, and involvement in extra-judicial killings of drug suspects.
The complaint also cites death threats Duterte allegedly made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The impeachment complaint, endorsed by Rep. Percival Cendana, accuses Duterte of “betrayal of public trust” and “high crimes,” listing about two dozen alleged offenses. “We are hoping that with this complaint, we can end the nightmare that our vice president has brought to the people,” Cendana said.
The complaint includes accusations of unexplained wealth and claims that Duterte enabled the continuation of extra-judicial killings initiated by her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, during her tenure as mayor of Davao City.
The charges come amid Duterte’s escalating feud with President Marcos and his allies. On November 23, Duterte publicly claimed to have hired an assassin to kill Marcos, his wife, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were assassinated. She later clarified that her statement was not a threat but expressed concern for her own safety.
Duterte has yet to respond to the impeachment filing. Congress, dominated by Marcos and Romualdez allies, will review the complaint, a process that could extend into 2024 given the legislative schedule and upcoming midterm elections in May.
The impeachment bid coincides with ongoing investigations into the alleged misuse of 612.5 million pesos (10.3 million euros) in confidential funds allocated to Duterte’s offices. Tensions rose during a congressional inquiry when Duterte’s chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, was briefly detained for allegedly obstructing the investigation. Duterte vehemently opposed the detention, which Lopez later contested in hospital.
Meanwhile, Philippine police have filed criminal complaints against Duterte and her security staff over an altercation during the inquiry. Separately, the National Bureau of Investigation has subpoenaed Duterte regarding her threats against Marcos and others.
The complainants, including former military officers, also criticized Duterte for failing to condemn China’s aggression in the South China Sea and for her stance on her father’s controversial anti-drug campaign, which left thousands dead.
President Marcos has downplayed the impeachment effort, calling it a waste of time amid national challenges, though opponents argue it is essential for accountability.
The impeachment represents a dramatic fallout between Duterte and Marcos, who won landslide victories as running mates in 2022 but have since clashed over key policy differences, including relations with China and the anti-drug crackdown.
