Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte. ARCHIVE

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte is at the center of a political storm following an impeachment complaint filed against her on Monday (December 2) by a coalition of civic groups and public figures. The complaint, submitted to the House of Representatives, accuses Duterte of abuse of power and plundering public funds during her tenure as Vice President and former Secretary of Education. “Vice President Duterte deserves to be impeached for her abuse of power and plunder of the nation’s coffers. The Filipino people deserve a leader who is ethical and accountable,” said Perci Cendaña, Akbayan representative, endorsing the complaint. The complaint, supported by groups such as Magdalo, Akbayan, and Mamamayang Liberal, stems from allegations of misuse of public funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during her tenure. Investigations by the House continue to scrutinize these claims, which Duterte has denied, labeling them as politically motivated. House Secretary General Reginald Velasco acknowledged the impeachment filing but noted procedural delays. “The complaint may not be referred to the committee this December as it was filed less than six months before the current lawmakers’ term ends,” Velasco said. However, he hinted at the possibility of an impeachment vote before the term concludes. Adding to the intrigue, leaked text messages from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged lawmakers to dismiss the impeachment efforts, saying, “In the larger scheme of things, Sara is unimportant. So please do not file impeachment complaints.” Marcos was recently in the UAE on a one-day working visit where he met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in Dubai. Duterte has vehemently denied the allegations, calling the investigations a form of political persecution. In a controversial statement, she claimed to have instructed an assassin to target Marcos, his wife Liza, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in retaliation if she were harmed. ICA/Expat Media
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