Power tussle grips Philippine Congress amid move to impeach VP Sara Duterte

Impeachment complaint seeks Duterte’s removal from office and perpetual disqualification from any government post.Mindanao, Philippines — The Philippine House of Representatives is poised to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, for the second time.The impeachment vote against Duterte, scheduled for Monday, is the latest episode in the ongoing political feud between the Duterte family and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, plunging the country into deeper political turmoil, even as it faces serious economic uncertainty due to the global energy crisis.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Philippine House impeaches Vice President Sara Dutertelist 2 of 3Impeachment probe of Philippine VP Sara Duterte voided by Supreme Courtlist 3 of 3Philippine VP Sara Duterte announces run for president in 2028end of listThe charges against Duterte include two violations of the constitution and betrayal of public trust for misuse of confidential government funds, failure to disclose her wealth, bribery and in relation to the death threats against Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.One of the most damning allegations in the complaint against the vice president includes private bank transactions flagged by the anti-money laundering agency of more than $110m.“The scale of these transactions cannot be reasonably explained by lawful income, declared assets, or the businesses and professional activities attributed to the couple,” Terry Ridon, another House member and one of the main complainants, said in a statement posted on X on Monday.“Today’s vote is therefore not merely a political exercise. It is a constitutional act of accountability.”The House wants the Senate to declare Duterte “guilty” on all four articles of impeachment, seeks her removal as vice president and her “perpetual disqualification from holding any office” in government.