 "Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte. AP")
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte was hit with a second impeachment complaint Wednesday (December 4), intensifying political turmoil after her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. collapsed ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
The latest complaint, filed by activists, teachers, and former lawmakers, accuses Duterte of betraying public trust through the alleged misuse of more than half a billion pesos ($8.5 million) in confidential government funds during her tenure as education secretary.
Why is Duterte facing impeachment?
Critics allege she liquidated 125 million pesos in just 11 days at the end of 2022 without proper justification.
“The Filipino people, especially our taxpayers who bear the burden of funding government operations, deserve accountability from their second highest official,” said former congressman Teddy Casino, a complainant in the case.
Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has denied any wrongdoing.
The second impeachment filing comes days after a separate coalition lodged a similar complaint, accusing Duterte of corruption and misconduct. Under the Philippine constitution, only one impeachment complaint against the same official can proceed each year, meaning lawmakers will have to choose between the two or consolidate them.
While the complaints face an uphill battle in the Marcos-allied House of Representatives, the legal challenges have added to Duterte’s woes as she grapples with investigations into her use of government funds and an alleged death threat against the president.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHow it all began
The controversy began after Duterte resigned as education secretary in June, following a public fallout with Marcos that fractured their political alliance. She is also under scrutiny for allegedly telling someone to “kill the president” if threats to her own life were carried out. Duterte later said her remarks were misinterpreted.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin of Marcos, is leading a separate inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds. Meanwhile, Marcos has dismissed the impeachment efforts as a “waste of time.”
It remains unclear if either impeachment complaint will secure the one-third support in the House necessary to advance to a Senate trial.
With inputs from agencies