The Vice President of the Philippines is Facing Impeachment: Here's What You Need to Know

Written by Dimple Paz, Edited by Jovie Galit | February 6, 2025, Photo by Eloisa Lopez/ Reuters

The controversial actions of Vice President Sara Duterte cast serious doubt on her ability to fulfill her role as the second-highest official in the Philippines. The massive waste of public funds and blatant abuse of the people’s wealth are undeniable. Her alleged corruption and the unexplained misuse of ₱125 million allocated to the Office of the Vice President in 2022, as well as ₱112.5 million for the Department of Education in 2023, are at the center of complaints.

Filipinos who filed complaints against VP Duterte argue that her violations constitute a clear betrayal of public trust. The ₱612.5 million (11 million USD) in confidential funds that she allegedly embezzled, along with their improper use based on Commission on Audit (COA) guidelines, exemplify rampant corruption. Her reported involvement in the fabrication of forged documents and falsified reports is not only an act of fraud but an outright insult to the Filipino people.

In the Philippines, confidential funds are public money kept in the dark. These funds, supposedly for national security, are exempt from audits. Duterte didn’t just request these funds for the Vice President’s office, she also demanded them for the Department of Education, which she leads. What does an education agency need intelligence funds for? 

Who is Sara Duterte?

Photo: Jonathan Celona/ ABS CBN

Sara Duterte is the daughter of Rodrigo Duterte, the former president responsible for mass killings under his so-called “war on drugs.” She became Vice President in 2022, running alongside Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the dictator who looted billions and plunged the country into martial law. Their alliance is a political deal and a pact between two dynasties built on violence, corruption, and elite rule.

Who Filed the Impeachment Complaints Against Sarah Duterte?

On December 2, 2024, the first impeachment complaint came from a coalition of civil society leaders, sectoral representatives, and advocates who filed at the House of Representatives. The complaints cited culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes as grounds for impeachment.

Progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) filed a second Impeachment case last December 4, 2024, against Vice President Sara Duterte to hold her accountable for the alleged misuse of her offices' confidential funds. The impeachment case is backed by over 70 complainants composed of youth leaders, teachers, government employees, health workers, and multi-sectoral groups who condemn Duterte's supposed "betrayal of public trust" which they cited as lone ground for impeachment, along with three issues about confidential fund use.

The third set of impeachment complainants are from numerous Catholic priests, taking place on December 19, 2024. Seven priests were listed as complainants, including Reverend Father Antonio Labiao Jr., one of the conveners of the Clergy for Good Governance, and Father Daniel Franklin “Danny” Pilario, a Cebuano theologian who fought against drug war killings. Other signatories included leaders of four non-government organizations, a lawyer, and the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao. The complainants asserted that Duterte committed plunder through the malversation of public funds, as she is a public officer accountable for managing these funds but failed to account for the confidential expenditures.

PAPANAGUTIN ANG MGA ABUSADO: Hold the Abusers Accountable!

This is the cry of thousands of Filipinos protesting, led by many young students from various universities in the Philippines last January 31, 2025. The protest charges the regime, both Marcos and Duterte, with stealing from the people through rampant corruption, while the Filipino people are suffering from an indefinite crisis brought by price hikes of the basic commodities and low wages. BAYAN also highlights the regime's role in the plunder of our natural resources, as marginalized groups are killed or forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands.

HABANG NAGHIHIRAP ANG SAMBAYANAN, PAPALIIT ANG PONDO PARA SA SERBISYONG PANLIPUNAN, AT WALANG PAKIALAM SI PRESIDENTE MARCOS SA KALIWA’T KANANG KORAPSYON: While the people are suffering, funds for social services are shrinking, and President Marcos doesn’t care about this rampant corruption.

On December 11, 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his stance against the impeachment bids targeting Vice President Sara Duterte. When asked about Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile’s warning that following the logic presented by the religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo during its National Rally for Peace could set a “very detrimental precedent,” Marcos dismissed the issue, stating:

"I don't think that now is the time to go through that. So, ipaubaya na muna natin, tutal, as a practical matter, papasok na tayo sa campaign period. Wala nang kongresista, wala nang senador dahil nangangampanya na sila. Hindi tayo makakabuo ng quorum. And so, as a practical matter, the timing is very poor."

["I don't think now is the time for that. So, let's leave it for now—after all, as a practical matter, we are entering the campaign period. There will be no congressmen or senators because they will be busy campaigning. We won't be able to form a quorum. And so, practically speaking, the timing is very poor."]

The BAYAN-led protest also condemns the country's increasing exposure to foreign powers, particularly the United States, which dictates economic policies that worsen the struggles of Filipinos. The Philippines has become a battleground in a geopolitical rivalry over the West Philippine Sea, driven by foreign interests.

More Protests Until the Demands of the People are Met

BAYAN is calling for sustained protest actions until the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte are formally transmitted to the House Speaker and the Senate. On Saturday, Feb. 1, the group urged continuous rallies against Duterte as Congress prepares to adjourn its sessions this week ahead of the upcoming elections.

"Marcos should not interfere with the supposedly independent Congress in endorsing the impeachment. Instead, he should focus on alleviating the hardships of working families. At the very least, he should certify the wage hike bill as a priority measure," BAYAN stated.

Recent Developments: As of February 5, 2025

On the last day of the session in the House of Representatives (HOR) of the Philippines, a protest organized by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan took place in front of the HOR. The protest reiterated the call for immediate action on the pending endorsement of the impeachment.

The collective action of Filipinos prevailed as the HOR received 215 signatures in support of the fourth complaint, resulting in the Congress' impeachment approval of Vice President Sara Duterte. This marks the first time that the second-highest official of the Philippines has been formally charged with serious constitutional breaches that could lead to her removal from office. The case will now be immediately forwarded by the House to the Senate.

If the house approves the article of impeachment, the senate acts as the impeachment court. A two thirds (⅔) majority (atleast 16 out of 24 senators) is required to convict and remove the Vice President. If convicted, the VP will be removed from the office, disqualified from holding any government position, and may face legal prosecution.

If the Vice President's impeachment goes through the Senate, the President nominates a new Vice President, who must be confirmed by a majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This process is outlined in Section 9 of Article VII of the 1987 Constitution.

However, the fight is not over yet. All types of Confidential and Intelligence Funds should be abolished, with no exemptions—even for President Marcos.

Sources

• Lawmakers call VP Duterte’s absence in House budget deliberation a “betrayal of public trust”, Ace Pariña, News 5; September 25, 2024
• Sara Duterte, entire OVP snub 2nd round of House budget deliberations, Dwight de Leon, Rappler, September 10, 2024 
• Impeachment complaint vs. VP Sara filed in House, Sunstar, December 3, 2024
• Third impeachment complaint vs VP Sara asserts: ‘Removing her a moral obligation’, Dwight de Leon, Rappler, December 19, 2024
• ‘Timing is very poor’: Marcos Jr. rejects impeachment bids vs Sara Duterte anew, Harlene Delgado, ABS-CBN News, January 17, 2025
• BAYAN calls for more rallies on VP Sara’s impeachment, Joseph Pedrajas, Manila Bulletin, February 1, 2025
• Marcos says P200 across-the-board wage hike needs further study, Pia Gutierrez, ABSCBN NEWS, January 31, 2025
• January 31, 2025 Indignation Rallies, Charrie Balescas, Philippine Star, January 30, 2025
• PH House impeaches VP Sara Duterte, Aljazeera, February 5, 2025
• Explainer: What happens when Philippine VP Duterte is impeached?, Cristina Eloisa Baclig, Asia News Network, February 6, 2025