Philippines House Impeaches Vice President Sara Duterte Amid Explosive Political Rift

The Philippine House of Representatives on Monday voted overwhelmingly to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte , marking a major escalation in the political rift between her and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. . Lawmakers voted 255-26, with nine abstentions , sending the impeachment complaints to the Senate for trial.

The charges against Duterte include allegations of unexplained wealth, misuse of confidential funds, and failure to properly declare large financial transactions . Lawmakers also cited her alleged 2024 remarks suggesting that President Marcos, his wife, and a key ally could be targeted by an assassin if she herself were killed, comments that triggered a national security probe and widespread political outrage .

Duterte, daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte , has denied wrongdoing but has not addressed several allegations in detail. She claims the impeachment is politically driven, accusing the Marcos administration and its allies of targeting her ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run .

The impeachment marks a dramatic collapse of the once-powerful Marcos-Duterte alliance , which secured a landslide victory in the 2022 elections but has since fractured into open hostility. Duterte has repeatedly accused the ruling camp of corruption and political persecution, while her critics point to questionable fund usage during her tenure as vice president and education secretary.

This is not her first impeachment challenge; a previous attempt was dismissed after the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional on procedural grounds.

The case now moves to the Senate, where a trial will determine whether Duterte is removed from office. Despite the controversy, she continues to enjoy strong public support, keeping her a central figure in the Philippines’ volatile political landscape ahead of the next election cycle.