Philippine lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on Monday to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, setting the stage for a Senate trial that could jeopardize her prospects for a presidential run in 2028.
The House of Representatives backed the impeachment complaint with 257 votes, far exceeding the one-third threshold required to elevate the case to the Senate, while 25 lawmakers voted against the move and nine abstained.
Duterte faces allegations including misuse of confidential government funds, failure to disclose wealth, bribery, unexplained financial transactions, and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, his wife Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Duterte has denied the accusations, while her legal team said it was prepared to defend her before the Senate impeachment court.
The impeachment marks a major escalation in the deteriorating alliance between Duterte and Marcos, who ran together in the 2022 presidential election before their political partnership collapsed.
The dispute has intensified political uncertainty in the Philippines as both camps position themselves ahead of the 2028 presidential race, where Duterte had long been viewed as a leading contender.
House Judiciary Committee chairman Gerville Luistro said lawmakers could not “stay blind and stay quiet” in the face of the allegations.
One of the impeachment complainants, lawmaker Terry Ridon, cited anti-money laundering reports allegedly flagging more than $110 million in private bank transactions linked to Duterte and her husband.
Duterte previously survived an impeachment attempt that was later voided by the Supreme Court due to procedural flaws.
The Senate must now conduct a trial, where a two-thirds majority is required to remove Duterte from office and permanently bar her from holding public office.
Shortly before the House vote, Duterte allies in the Senate succeeded in replacing Senate President Vicente Sotto with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, a longtime ally of the Duterte family who is expected to preside over the impeachment proceedings.
Cayetano said the impeachment process should not be influenced by political loyalties and stressed that conviction must be based on evidence.
Political analysts said the large House vote could still place pressure on senators weighing the case.
Outside Congress, demonstrators gathered demanding Duterte’s removal, while lawmakers backing the impeachment argued the process was necessary to uphold accountability and the rule of law.