A Philippine congressional committee has advanced impeachment articles against VP Sara Duterte, setting up a Senate trial that could end her political career.
MANILA: A Philippine congressional committee has overwhelmingly agreed to send articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the full House of Representatives for a vote.
The vote, which passed 54-1, could trigger a Senate trial with the power to ban her from elected office for life.
The complaints accuse Duterte of graft and corruption while in office. They also cite an alleged death threat made against President Ferdinand Marcos, a former political ally.
“Our vote today is not a verdict of guilt nor an act of condemnation,” said Representative Ferdinand Hernandez before the vote. He described it as a decision on whether the constitutional process should move forward.
The alleged death threat stems from a press briefing where Duterte claimed to have hired an assassin to target Marcos and his family. Lawmaker Gerville Luistro argued the alleged threats could destabilise institutions.
“They carry weight. They create fear,” she said.
Duterte later said her comments were misinterpreted. The justice committee ruled the new complaints were “sufficient in substance” to proceed.
Analysts warn Duterte’s recent announcement of a 2028 presidential bid will weigh heavily on lawmakers. They must consider the repercussions of voting against someone who may yet hold the country’s highest office.
Duterte and Marcos have been engaged in a political feud since their 2022 election victory. The vice president was denied her favoured cabinet posts and instead named education secretary.
Under the constitution, an impeachment by the House triggers a Senate trial. A guilty verdict there would impose a lifetime ban from elected office.
The justice committee last month dismissed a pair of impeachment complaints against President Marcos. It ruled that allegations of corruption over bogus flood control projects lacked substance.
Only one-third of the House must vote in favour for the case against Duterte to move to the Senate.
The Sun Malaysia
