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VP Sara Duterte impeached by House of Representatives

Published Feb 05, 2025 3:57 pm Updated Feb 06, 2025 8:26 am

Vice President Sara Duterte has been impeached by the House of Representatives.

During its last session on Feb. 5, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco confirmed that 215 lawmakers have voted to impeach Duterte.

The total membership of the House is 306, which means that at least 102 signatures, or one-third of the lower legislative chamber, are needed for the case to go up to the Senate for trial.

Presidential son and Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos led the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte. Meanwhile, the session was presided over by the president's cousin, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, and the manifestations on the floor were made by House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe.

“This is about upholding the 1987 Constitution and ensuring that no public official, regardless of their position, is above the law,” Romualdez said.

In a prepared statement, the House leadership said that the grounds for Duterte's impeachment are a “series of grave allegations, including conspiracy to assassinate Marcos, large-scale corruption, abuse of public funds, and involvement in extrajudicial killings.” 

"Respondent's conduct throughout her tenure clearly displays gross faithlessness against public trust and a tyrannical abuse of power that, taken together, showcases her gross unfitness to hold public office and her infidelity to the laws and the 1987 Constitution," part of the complaint read.

Seven articles of impeachment were listed in the complaint including committing betrayal of public trust, committing culpable violation of the Constitution and/or committing high crimes in plotting to assassinate Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Romualdez; misuse and malversation of confidential funds appropriated to the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education; committed bribery and/or other acts of graft and corruption; amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties in her Statements of Assets and Net Worth (SALN); committing high crimes including murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with her involvement in extrajudicial killings of the Davao Death Squad; committing acts of destabilization; and the totality of her conduct.

The following representatives will serve as prosecutors in the trial on the impeachment complaint. They voted to approve the seven Articles of Impeachment. This is the first time in Philippine history that a sitting vice president faces impeachment.

• Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro
• Rep. Romeo Acop
• Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez
• Rep. Joel Chua
• Rep. Raul Angelo "Jil" Bongalon
• Rep. Loreto Acharon
• Rep. Marcelino Libanan
• Rep. Arnan Panaligan
• Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora
• Rep. Lorenz Defensor
• Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos (Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez (Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos (Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez (Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

(Photo by Miguel Antonio de Guzman)

CLOSE

Duterte can only be removed from office with a two-thirds vote of the Senate. A successful conviction would permanently disqualify her from holding any public office in the future.

Reactions from lawmakers

Following his sister's impeachment, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte said that he is "appalled and enraged by the desperate and politically motivated efforts" against Sara.

"The sinister maneuvering of certain lawmakers, led by Rep. [Janette] Garin, to hastily collect signatures and push for the immediate approval and transmittal of this baseless impeachment case is a clear act of political persecution," he said.

"This administration is treading on dangerous ground. If they were unfazed by the over one million rallying supporters of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, then they are blindly marching toward an even greater storm—one that could shake the very foundation of their rule," he continued.

Paolo believed that Duterte's supporters will "not sit idly by as this government undermines democracy and silences opposition through fabricated accusations."

"If the Marcos administration thinks it can push this sham impeachment without consequence, they are gravely mistaken," he stressed.

He warned the opposition that "this reckless abuse of power will not end in their favor."

Meanwhile, Duterte Youth party-list Rep. Drixie Mae Cardema argued that the vice president did not betray any public trust.

“Kung sino pa ang pinaka pinagkakatiwalaan at pinaka ibinoto ng bansa, at nagtatrabaho para lumaban sa kriminalidad, durugista, at teroristang NPA, iyun pa ang aakusahan ng betrayal of public trust, definitely no ang Duterte Youth party-list sa impeachment ni VP Duterte,” she said. 

“Mahal namin at pinaka pinagkakatiwalaan namin ang Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at ang Pang.Pangulo Sara Duterte. Hindi sila ang nag betray sa public trust, nasa kanila ang public trust ng milyon-milyong mga Pilipino,” Cardema declared further. 

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. previously asked lawmakers not to pursue an impeachment case against his former campaign partner, reasoning that it "will not make any difference to even one single Filipino life."

“What will happen if someone files an impeachment? It will tie down the House [of Representatives], it will tie down the Senate, it will just take up time and for what? For nothing,” he said. 

Senate President Chiz Escudero, meanwhile, denied claims that the Senate is similarly making a move to impeach Duterte.

"The Senate is not preparing for anything regarding impeachment. We cannot and will not assume anything until and unless it is a fact. The statements made by an over-eager staff was not authorized by me nor was it proper," he said.

What led to Sara Duterte's impeachment?

Duterte has been in hot water since August 2024 following the alleged misuse of funds for her office's socioeconomic programs and her refusal to answer questions regarding her office's expenses, particularly the confidential funds worth P775 million for the OVP and DepEd during her budget proposal's first hearing.

She was seeking a P2.037-billion budget for 2025, which was cut to P733 million. Her office has a P1.885-billion budget for 2024.

Things escalated when her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, got detained due to being cited in contempt by the House of Representatives. This eventually led her to conduct a midnight Zoom press conference on Nov. 23 where she blatantly said she would have Bongbong assassinated if she were killed.

"May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, 'Pag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke,'" she revealed.

"Nagbilin na ako, Ma’am. 'Pag namatay ako, 'wag ka tumigil hanggang hindi mo mapapatay sila.' And then he said yes," she added.

All of these eventually led to the three initial impeachment raps, with the first complaint having been filed by civil society organizations, religious groups, and families of tokhang victims on Dec. 2 and endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña.

The second one, meanwhile, was submitted by activists, teachers, former congressional members and others on Dec. 4 and endorsed by Makabayan lawmakers France Castro, Arlene Brosas, and Raoul Manuel. A third impeachment rap was filed by religious groups, legal professionals, and non-governmental organization workers against Sara on Dec. 19, endorsed by Gabriel Bordado Jr. and Lex Colada. (with reports from Delon Porcalla)