Sara Duterte faces impeachment over misuse of public funds

In the Philippines, Vice President Sara Duterte has been embroiled in significant political turmoil following her breakdown in relations with President Ferdinand Marcos. This turmoil has worsened with the filing of a second impeachment complaint against her by a coalition of activists and former lawmakers. The complaint accuses her of betraying public trust through the alleged misuse of over half a billion pesos, approximately $8.5 million, in public funds while she served as education secretary. Notably, concerns over her actions include the rapid liquidation of 125 million pesos in just 11 days at the end of 2022. Several public figures, including former congressman Teddy Casino, have publicly expressed the urgency for accountability from Duterte, citing the heavy burden on Filipino taxpayers. This latest filing follows a different impeachment complaint made earlier, which also highlighted issues of corruption and misconduct. Duterte has vehemently denied the charges of financial mismanagement. Yet, both complaints will need the backing of a third of the lawmakers in the House of Representatives to proceed to a Senate trial, where the outcome seems uncertain given the majority held by Marcos’ allies. The political landscape is further complicated by a probe into an alleged death threat made by Duterte against President Marcos, which arises from her controversial remarks implying she would order harm against him if her life were threatened. She later claimed her statements were misinterpreted. These developments suggest a deepening crisis for Duterte, whose relationship with Marcos has severely deteriorated since her resignation as education secretary last June. The situation continues to evolve, with mounting calls for transparency regarding the abuse of government funds amid increasing public scrutiny of leadership integrity.