Philippines VP Sara Duterte Faces Third Impeachment Complaint

(Bloomberg) -- A third impeachment complaint was filed against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, raising the political pressure on her after she broke ties with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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A group which includes members of the clergy and lawyers lodged the complaint, alleging that the vice president violated the constitution and betrayed public trust with the malversation of public funds, according to a statement by House of Representatives Secretary General Reginald Velasco. Velasco’s office received the complaint which also alleged graft and other high crimes.

Lawmakers Gabriel Bordado and Lex Anthony Cris Colada endorsed the petition. A representative at Duterte’s office said the third impeachment complaint has been relayed to the vice president.

The first two complaints, filed earlier this month, sought to charge Duterte of corruption and betrayal of public trust over her alleged misuse of public funds, which the vice president has denied.

Impeachment complaints can be filed by anyone in the Southeast Asian country and at least a third of the House of Representatives needs to approve it for it to move to the Senate, which tries and decides them.

Duterte, a lawyer, last week said she and her team were reviewing the complaints. She said the impeachment moves and a separate probe by the state investigation agency over her apparent threat against Marcos were are all attempts to unseat her and weaken her chances in the 2028 presidential elections should she decide to run.

Duterte and Marcos teamed up to win the 2022 election, but their alliance crumbled amid policy differences. Their feud took a different turn last month when Duterte said she had made arrangements for the assassination of the president, his wife and his cousin, the House speaker, in the event that she’s killed.

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