In a significant political development, the Philippine House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, after securing 153 signatures—surpassing the one-third threshold required to advance the impeachment process to the Senate for trial. This move marks the first time a sitting vice president in the Philippines faces impeachment proceedings.
The impeachment stems from three complaints filed against Duterte, alleging misuse of confidential funds, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust—grounds for impeachment under the 1987 Constitution. The complaints were filed by a coalition of various organizations, including Magdalo, Mamamayang Liberal, Tindig Pilipinas, families of drug war victims, and leaders of the Catholic Church.
According to the complainants, Duterte failed to properly account for public funds during her tenure as head of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and as former education secretary. A major point of contention is the handling of confidential funds worth hundreds of millions of pesos. Government regulations dictate that such funds should be managed by special disbursing officers. However, it was discovered that Duterte’s security personnel had direct access to these funds, raising concerns over financial mismanagement and transparency.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco confirmed receiving the impeachment complaint and emphasized that it is the constitutional duty of the House of Representatives to process such cases. “Impeachment proceedings are vital to preserve the integrity of the institution and affirm the principle that public officials are accountable to the people they serve,” Velasco stated.
With the House’s approval, the bill of impeachment now moves to the Senate, where 23 senators will serve as jurors in the upcoming trial. If found guilty, Duterte—who is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte—could be removed from office and permanently barred from holding any government position in the future. She has categorically denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
As preparations for the next phase of the proceedings begin, the Senate Secretary has instructed the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau to be ready for the formal receipt of the impeachment complaint from the House of Representatives.
The impeachment trial is expected to dominate the country’s political discourse, especially with the upcoming May 2025 elections. Advocacy groups have urged Congress to expedite the process and reach a resolution before the year ends. Former Bayan Muna party-list Representative Teddy Casiño emphasized the urgency of the matter, stating, “We have a series of mass actions to push Congress to fulfill its duty.”
Impeachment ni VP Sara Duterte tuloy na tuloy na?
— Politiko (@Politiko_Ph) February 5, 2025
Inabisuhan ng staff ng Senado ang mga mamamahayag tungkol sa posibleng pag-transmit ng impeachment complaint laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte ngayong gabi.
Ayon sa staff, ihahatid daw ng tauhan ng House Secretary General… pic.twitter.com/DsBBecodhe
As the nation watches closely, the outcome of Duterte’s impeachment trial will have lasting implications for Philippine politics and the broader issue of accountability in government.