Impeachment Complaint Filed Against President Marcos Over Duterte’s Arrest, Budget and Corruption Allegations

A lawyer has filed an impeachment complaint against Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., accusing him of betraying public trust by permitting the arrest and transfer of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

The complaint, lodged by attorney Andre De Jesus, describes Duterte's arrest and transfer as an act of "kidnapping," language that echoes claims made by the former president's family. Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022, was detained and taken to the ICC in March in connection with allegations over thousands of killings during his controversial war on drugs.

De Jesus' petition also levels additional allegations against Marcos, including:

• Constitutional violations tied to alleged budget irregularities;
• Failure to act on suspected graft related to flood control projects;
• Refusal to answer accusations of drug use that critics say cast doubt on his fitness to govern.

"We feel that this avenue would enable not just myself as complainant ... but the Filipino people to thrash out all these matters which are being raised and are not answered at all by the president and his cabinet and his officers," De Jesus told reporters, according to comments posted on X by DZRH radio.

The presidential office responded that it respects the democratic process and trusts that Congress, as a co-equal branch of government, will discharge its duties "with honesty, integrity, and fidelity to the rule of law." The presidential communications office added that while these processes unfold, "the President will continue to govern, ensuring that public services remain uninterrupted and that the work of government stays focused on improving the lives of our people."

The new filing follows an earlier impeachment attempt nearly a year ago against Vice President Sara Duterte, the estranged daughter of Rodrigo Duterte, which was dismissed by the Supreme Court for breaching the Constitution's one-year bar rule. The current complaint must also navigate a lower house of Congress that, despite the resignation of former House Speaker and Marcos cousin Martin Romualdez amid links to a flood control corruption scandal, remains largely dominated by allies of the president — a factor that casts doubt on whether the complaint will gain traction.

Marcos, elected in 2022, is serving a single six-year term and is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election in 2028, leaving him roughly two years in office. Vice President Sara Duterte is widely regarded as a potential front-runner for the 2028 presidential race.

Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by David Stanway.