The Philippine lower house voted on Monday to advance impeachment proceedings against Vice‑President Sara Duterte, sending the case to the Senate for trial. If the Senate convicts her, she would be removed from office and barred from holding elected positions for life, a significant blow to her stated plans to run for president in 2028.
Lawmakers approved forwarding the evidence by 255 votes to 26, with nine abstentions. The House is largely dominated by allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The articles of impeachment allege misappropriation of public funds, unexplained assets, bribery of public officials, and an alleged death threat against the president. The death‑threat allegation stems from a late‑night briefing in which Duterte reportedly said she had hired an assassin to kill Ferdinand Marcos Jr. if he assassinated her first, and that she was not joking. Duterte later said her remarks were misinterpreted and framed them as expressions of concern for her personal safety.
Representative Bienvenido Abante, speaking after the vote, said the move was about conscience and the rule of law: “This is no longer just about politics. This is about conscience, duty and the future of our nation. 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.”
Duterte’s defence team said her accusers now bear the burden of proof and that they are “fully prepared to defend the Vice President before the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court.” A separate impeachment attempt against her was dismissed by the Supreme Court last year on procedural grounds.
Sara Duterte is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who faces charges at the International Criminal Court over his administration’s deadly anti‑drug campaign.