Philippines faces historic dual impeachments for Marcos, Duterte as political crisis deepens

Dual impeachment cases were filed on Monday against Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte, marking a historic first with the nation’s top two officials each facing twin complaints accusing them of betrayal of public trust.Observers told This Week in Asia that the political exercise, while risking economic collateral damage, could show how a political crisis could be tackled through “institutionalisation” using constitutional means, instead of military intervention.Former congressman Neri Colmenares of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and ex-congresswoman France Castro of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers jointly filed the first complaint against Duterte.Since all complaints need to be endorsed by a sitting lawmaker, this particular case gained the support of their fellow party-list mates, lawmakers Antonio Tinio, Renee Co and Sarah Elago.The second complaint was filed by members of several civil society groups and endorsed by Akbayan party-list Congressman Perci Cendana and Congresswoman Leila de Lima, representing the ML party-list.Philippine legislators Leila de Lima (front, left) and Perci Cendana (front, right) after filing an impeachment complaint against Vice-President Sara Duterte at the House of Representatives on Monday. Photo: EPALast month, two impeachment complaints were also filed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. The first was filed by Andre de Jesus, a lawyer who had sought to disbar in 2024 a fellow lawyer who had publicly insulted the president’s wife, Marie Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos.