Philippines Vice-President impeached over suspected wealth, threat to kill Prez

An overwhelming majority of the House of Representatives of the Philippines voted to impeach Vice-President Sara Duterte on Monday over alleged unexplained wealth and threats to have the President assassinated, as the rift between the camps of the country’s top two officials escalated. The House, which is dominated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s allies, voted 257-25 with nine abstentions.

The two impeachment complaints against Duterte, which will now be elevated to the Senate for a trial, mark an initial setback to her plan to seek the presidency in 2028. Shortly before the impeachment vote in the House, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who had vowed to immediately put the Vice-President to trial, was ousted by 13 of 24 senators, including supporters of the Vice-President and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

It’s not clear how the Vice-President’s impending impeachment trial would be affected by the Senate leadership change, but Sotto said he and his allies would insist that the proceedings against the her should be immediately taken up once submitted.

A tense standoff ensued when Sen. Roland dela Rosa, a supporter of former President Duterte, who is facing trial before the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands, suddenly appeared in the Senate after months of absence. National Bureau of Investigation officers tried to run after dela Rosa but failed to reach him as he dashed into the Senate’s plenary hall and sought the protection of fellow senators.