MANILA: Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte is facing an impeachment bid filed by civil society activists in the House of Representatives over a death threat she made against the president, as well as over her alleged role in extra-judicial killings of drug suspects.
A coalition of 16 signatories comprising civil society activists, religious leaders and former lawmakers filed an impeachment complaint against Duterte on Monday, accusing her of violating the country’s constitution and mismanagement of funds, and cited the recent death threat she made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The public/open discussion about the act of engaging an assassin to kill the incumbent President, his wife and the Speaker of the House of Representatives constitutes not only betrayal of public trust but also a High Crime which would warrant her immediate impeachment from Office,” read a copy of the complaint seen by Arab News.
“The conduct of Respondent as a public officer has clearly fallen short … thus necessitating the initiation of this process of impeachment.”
The complaint, which received its required endorsement from Rep. Percival Cendana of progressive political alliance Akbayan, will be scrutinized by the Philippine Congress in a process that could take weeks or months.
“Vice President Duterte deserves to be impeached for her abuse of power and plunder of the nation’s coffers,” Cendana said in a statement. “The Filipino people deserve a vice president who is ethical, accountable, and committed to public service–not one who weaponizes authority for personal gain.”
The daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte has been embroiled in a row with Marcos and is the subject of an enquiry into her spending by the House of Representatives.
On Nov. 23, Duterte said in an online news conference that she had contracted someone to kill Marcos, his wife and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed. She later said that she was not threatening him, but was expressing concern for her own safety.
Monday’s complaint also accused her of being “directly involved” in extra-judicial killings of drug suspects in southern Davao City when she was mayor, continuing a deadly crackdown that was started by her father, who formerly held the same position.
The Philippines’ largest alliance of grassroots groups, BAYAN, announced it would also file an impeachment petition against Duterte this week.
