MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte is now facing her second impeachment complaint, filed by left-leaning organizations with the House of Representatives on Wednesday, December 4.
They want Duterte indicted for betrayal of public trust, which is a ground for impeachment under the 1987 Constitution, alleging:
- that she abused her discretionary powers over P612.5 million in confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education
- that she mocked audit processes by ordering subordinates to prepare accomplishment reports on her disbursement of secret funds, supported by fabricated documents
- that she willfully refused to recognize Congress’ oversight functions when she skipped budget deliberations and skirted questions on her use of public funds
“When confronted with legitimate questions about her use of these funds, she responded not with the transparency her oath demands, but with threats and intimidation — labeling critics as ‘reds,’ ‘terrorists,’ and ‘conspirators.’ This conduct represents not merely a failure to uphold her oath, but an active campaign to undermine the very principles of accountability that oath was meant to protect,” the document read.
“The betrayal of public trust evident in respondent’s actions represents a fundamental breach of the covenant between public servant and citizen — a breach so severe that it can only be remedied by her removal from office through impeachment with the penalty of permanent disqualification from holding public office,” it added.
The second complaint had over 70 signatories, including former lawmakers Teddy Casiño, Liza Maza, Neri Colmenares, Sarah Elago, Antonio Tinio, Satur Ocampo, Eufemia Cullamat, Emmi de Jesus, and Ferdinand Gaite.
It was endorsed by the three-member Makabayan bloc, namely ACT Teachers Representative France Castro, Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Representative Raoul Manuel.
The filing came days after civic organizations fronted by former senator Leila de Lima initiated the first-ever impeachment effort against the vice president, with the complaint endorsed by freshman lawmaker Perci Cendaña of party-list group Akbayan.
The first complaint cited four grounds for impeachment and 24 articles of impeachment, from Duterte’s alleged misuse of funds, to her public meltdowns that resulted in either implied or direct threats to public officials, including her former ally, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Duterte has been the subject of a House investigation since her resignation from the Marcos Cabinet in June, the clearest indication of her breakaway from the administration.
The congressional probe has zeroed in on her management of her offices’ confidential funds, which are much more difficult to audit than regular funds.
The inquiry resulted in revelations that the Commission on Audit had disallowed P73 million from her confidential expenses in 2022 due to documentary deficiencies, and that she let her security personnel disburse the secret funds, an apparent violation of government guidelines.
Duterte has time and again insisted that the investigations into her dealings are politically motivated.
It remains to be seen whether the impeachment effort will prosper, as proponents face time constraints due to numerous adjournments in the House in the last six months of the 19th Congress, such as breaks for the holidays and the months-long campaign period for the May 2025 polls.
The two impeachment complaints are also endorsed by party-list lawmakers who belong to the minority, often on the outside looking in when it comes to wielding significant legislative power due to their lack of numbers.
While the word war between Duterte and the lawmakers allied with the administration has worsened in recent months, Marcos’ recent appeal to congressmen not to entertain impeachment efforts against the Vice President will likely complicate their decision-making on formal initiatives to remove her from office. – Rappler.com