agencies
Manila
An impeachment complaint was filed on Monday against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on allegations of corruption, breach of public trust and other constitutional violations.
The complaint - the first against a vice president in the Philippines - was filed in the House of Representatives by a group of civil society leaders, former government officials and sectoral representatives, including a family member of a victim of the controversial war on drugs unleashed by the vice president’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“The vice president has reduced public office to a platform for violent rhetoric, personal enrichment, elitist entitlement and a shield for impunity,” said Teresita Quintos Deles, a former government official and one of the complainants.
“Her actions desecrate our institutions, and her continued grip on power insults every Filipino who stands for good governance and the rule of law,” she added. The complaint was endorsed by left-wing Akbayan party representative Perci Cendeña, who said: “We cannot allow public office to be weaponized for corruption, violence and betrayal of trust. The Filipino people deserve leaders who serve with integrity, not rulers who exploit power for personal gain.”
Duterte did not immediately issue any response to the impeachment bid, which accused her of about two dozen alleged crimes. The impeachment complaint was filed more than one week after Duterte threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the first lady and the House speaker assassinated if she herself was killed.
The threat came amid an investigation on the alleged misuse of 612.5 million pesos ($10.4 million) worth of funds of the Department of Education. Vice President Duterte resigned from her post as education secretary in Marcos’ Cabinet in June, indicating a crack in the political alliance that propelled the duo to a clear victory in 2022.
The impeachment complaint will be scrutinized by the Philippine Congress, which is dominated by allies of Marcos and his cousin and key backer, Romualdez, who also has been politically at odds with the vice president.
