Philippine lawmakers move to impeach VP Sara Duterte

The Philippine lower house of parliament on Monday voted to advance impeachment proceedings against the vice president.

Under the constitution, the case now proceeds to a Senate trial. A guilty verdict would remove Duterte from office and bar her from holding elected positions for life — an early setback for her plan to run for the presidency in 2028.

Why is Sara Duterte being impeached?

The articles of the impeachment focus on misappropriation of public funds, unexplained assets, bribery of public officials. They also cover an alleged death threat against former ally President Ferdinand Marcos.

Lawmakers approved sending evidence to the Senate against Sara Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, by a margin of 255 to 26, with nine abstentions. The house is dominated by Marcos's allies.

"This is no longer just about politics. This is about conscience, duty and the future of our nation," Representative Bienvenido Abante said immediately after the vote.

"This is not about 2028, this is not about political alliances, this is about whether we still believe that no one is above the law."

What threat is she alleged to have made?

The impeachment case stems from a late-night briefing in which Sara Duterte said she had hired an assassin to kill Ferdinand Marcos if he assassinated her first. She also warned that her threat was not a joke.

She later said her remarks were misinterpreted, saying that the remarks came out of concern for her own safety, while her defense has said the burden of proof now lies with her accusers.

After the Monday vote, Duterte's defence counsel said the burden of proof now rests with her accusers.

"We are fully prepared to defend the Vice President before the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court," the statement said.

An impeachment attempt against Sara Duterte was struck down last year by the Supreme Court on procedural grounds.

Her father is facing trial at the International Criminal Court over his deadly anti-drug campaign while he was president.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher