A House justice committee in the Philippines on Wednesday unanimously concluded there is "probable cause" to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte after probing criminal allegations that include unexplained wealth, alleged misuse of state funds and statements that investigators say could be interpreted as threats against senior officials.
The 53-member committee advanced two separate impeachment complaints to the full House of Representatives after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) told lawmakers that comments Duterte made during a 2024 online news conference — in which she said that if she were assassinated she would have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the president’s wife and the House speaker killed — could constitute a threat to national security.
The complaints focus on alleged improper use and mishandling of large sums of money while Duterte served as vice president and during her earlier tenure as education secretary in the Marcos administration. Lawmakers also raised concerns about substantial bank transactions that Duterte has not publicly declared as required by law.
House Justice Committee Chair Rep. Gerville Luistro criticized Duterte for repeatedly skipping televised hearings and for petitioning the Supreme Court to halt parts of the inquiry. "If there is nothing to hide, there is no reason to hide, there is no reason to obstruct," Luistro said at the start of the hearing. "The only people who fear the disclosures of these transactions are those with dirty secrets."
Protesters hold slogans during a rally outside the House of Representatives while a congressional hearing on an impeachment bid against Vice President Sara Duterte is ongoing in Quezon, Philippines, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
"If there is nothing to hide, there is no reason to hide, there is no reason to obstruct." — Rep. Gerville Luistro
Duterte’s husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, filed criminal complaints against Luistro and other legislators and officials after copies of the couple’s bank transaction records were disclosed at a recent House hearing; the couple says the public release violated the country’s bank secrecy laws.
If the full House — which has more than 300 members and is largely controlled by allies of President Marcos — approves impeachment, Duterte would be formally impeached and would face a trial before the Senate. The committee’s action thus moves the two complaints to the next stage of deliberation and a possible House vote.
Many of the allegations cited in the current complaints echo charges included in an earlier impeachment petition that was deferred last year on procedural grounds. That earlier case prompted a Supreme Court ruling that the lower chamber may process only one impeachment complaint against a single official in a calendar year, complicating the previous effort to send the vice president to trial.
Sara Duterte remains a prominent political figure and has signaled interest in pursuing the presidency in 2028. Independent polls indicate she retains substantial public support despite the legal scrutiny. She is also the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose administration’s anti-drug campaign has faced international scrutiny and allegations of human-rights abuses.
What’s next: The full House will now consider whether to accept the committee’s finding and vote to impeach. If the House votes in favor, the case would move to the Senate for trial. The process could shape the Philippine political landscape ahead of the 2028 presidential contest.
