Supporters of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte have filed a petition with the Supreme Court, urging the justices to dismiss impeachment proceedings against her, alleging political motivations and violations of due process, Al Jazeera reports.
The move comes after Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5 and faces a potential trial in the Senate this summer.
Lawyers representing Duterte’s supporters argue that the impeachment, based on accusations of corruption and betraying public trust, lacked proper legal foundation and should be invalidated. The petition also seeks to prevent an impending Senate trial that could result in her expulsion from office.
“The impeachment proceedings are likely aimed at disqualifying Duterte from the 2028 presidential race,” claimed Torreon, a lawyer involved in the petition.
Duterte, who once enjoyed a close alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is accused of multiple offenses, including an alleged assassination plot against the President. This charge stems from a controversial broadcast where she reportedly claimed to have instructed someone to kill Marcos if she were to be killed first. Duterte maintains that she was merely expressing frustration with the current administration during the broadcast.
Further accusations involve the alleged misuse of intelligence funds during her tenure as Vice President and previously as Education Secretary, a position she resigned from last year as her alliance with Marcos began to unravel. To date, Duterte has not offered a comprehensive public response to the specific corruption allegations.
The breakdown in the alliance between Duterte and Marcos, who ran together and won the presidential race in 2022, has been increasingly visible. During his current campaign for senatorial candidates in the upcoming May 12th midterm elections, Marcos has publicly criticized the bloody anti-drugs crackdown implemented by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President’s father.
The political climate has further intensified with recent controversial statements made by former President Rodrigo Duterte. Last week, at a campaign rally, Duterte, known for his often provocative rhetoric, reportedly stated that 15 senators should be killed to create vacancies for his allies in the upcoming midterms. These remarks have led to a criminal complaint filed by the police with the Department of Justice.
