As a representative of the powerful former President Duterte family in Philippine politics, Vice President Sara Duterte is besieged by a series of accusations and faces the risk of ending her political career.
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| Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte is accused of threatening to hire a hitman to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Source: Reuters) |
The Philippine House of Representatives on February 5 passed a motion to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, with at least 215 out of 306 lawmakers in favor, far exceeding the minimum required to send the case to the Senate. The move paves the way for a rare Senate trial, where 23 senators will serve as jurors in a trial that could result in Duterte’s removal from office and a lifetime ban from public office.
Main allegations
Sara Duterte is facing a series of serious charges. First, she is accused of "hiring assassins to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez." In response to the threat, Philippine security forces have launched an investigation and increased security measures for the leaders involved.
However, Sara Duterte denied the accusation of plotting to assassinate the President, saying her statement was merely an expression of "discontent" with the Marcos administration's lack of responsibility for the lives of its people. The spat reflects a growing rift between the two most powerful families in the Philippines, the Duterte and Marcos, who have disagreed on foreign policy and former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.
Second, allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds, Ms. Sara Duterte was condemned for misusing more than 11 million USD from secret funds for the Office of the Vice President and the Ministry of Education during her tenure as Minister of Education, as well as failing to declare assets and owning wealth of unknown origin.
Finally, on the charges of violating the constitution and betraying public trust, the 33-page impeachment complaint filed by lawmakers asserts that Sara Duterte violated the constitution, committed corruption and bribery, among other serious crimes and was contrary to her commitment to serve the people.
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| The Philippine House of Representatives discusses impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte in Manila on February 5. (Source: AP) |
Reaction from stakeholders
Sara Duterte has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying the moves are politically motivated. Her brother, Davao congressman Paolo Duterte, has also rejected the allegations, expressing “horror and anger at the politically motivated attempts” to impeach his sister. It appears that the Duterte family is trying to create a united front to protect Sara Duterte, maintain the family’s position in the Manila government and maintain its public image.
Commenting on the incident, Aries Arugay, head of the political science department at the University of the Philippines, said the issue is dragging the entire country into a difficult situation. “Unlike in the United States, Sara Duterte has no important function here as Vice President. So the political motive here is to prevent her from becoming President,” he added. Aries Arugay based his assessment on the fact that Sara Duterte has publicly stated her intention to run for President after Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s six-year term ends in 2028.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took an ambiguous stance, stating that he did not support the impeachment of Sara Duterte, while also emphasizing that he would not interfere with the legislative branch. In other words, Mr. Marcos Jr. did not publicly support the impeachment of the Vice President to avoid further straining relations between the Marcos and Duterte families. However, by not intervening in the House of Representatives’ decision, he also did not defend Sara Duterte, indicating a rift in the alliance between the two most powerful families in the Philippines.
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| People take to the streets to protest in support of the impeachment of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte in Manila on February 5. (Source: Reuters) |
Political impact
This is the second time in Philippine history that a senior official has been impeached, after former President Joseph Estrada in 2000. The move reflects deep conflict between the two most powerful political families in the Philippines: the Marcos family and the Duterte family.
If convicted, Sara Duterte would be removed from office and banned from holding office for life, making it difficult for her to revive her political career. This could also change the balance of power in Philippine politics and affect the relationship between political factions in the country.
The House of Representatives has unanimously passed the impeachment motion, and the Philippines and international observers are holding their breath waiting for the outcome of the Senate's deliberations. If both chambers come to a unanimous stance on the series of charges, Sara Duterte's political future will face a major turning point, somewhat weakening the Duterte family's fate in Philippine politics.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/song-gio-luan-toi-pho-to-ng-thong-philippines-lung-lay-van-menh-gia-toc-duterte-303534.html
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