Anticipated Impeachment of VP Sara Duterte: A Shield for Kleptocrats in Flood Control?

Anticipated Impeachment of VP Sara Duterte: A Shield for Kleptocrats in Flood Control?

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | May 5, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The House Committee on Justice has unanimously approved articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, moving the process to a full plenary vote. This decision, following a finding of probable cause, has ignited public debate, with critics alleging that the impeachment is politically motivated to protect officials involved in systemic corruption.

House Justice Committee Chairperson Gerville Luistro stated that the committee adhered to constitutional procedures, asserting, “Every step, every word, every piece of evidence was handled with caution and accountability.”

However, public sentiment, echoed by a senior citizens’ group representative, suggests that the impeachment targets the Vice President’s confidential funds while ignoring “massive systemic corruption in flood control projects, where billions in kickbacks are funneled to corrupt congressmen.” Citizens also criticized government initiatives as temporary fixes, perceiving the impeachment as a tactic to disqualify Duterte from the 2028 presidential election, diverting funds that could aid impoverished Filipinos.

Key Allegations and Findings

The impeachment case against Vice President Duterte centers on several critical findings

Confidential Funds Misuse

Rapid Disbursal

Detainee Ramil Madriaga testified to disbursing P125 million in confidential funds within 24 hours, including cash deliveries to Laguna, Quezon City, and the Office of the Ombudsman. Madriaga offered a bank waiver as evidence.

COA Disallowances

The Commission on Audit (COA) confirmed a P73 million disallowance for 2022 confidential funds and three additional notices totaling P375 million for 2023 OVP confidential fund releases, indicating financial irregularities.

Phantom Recipients

NBI and PSA representatives testified that several named confidential fund recipients—Mary Grace Piattos, Milky Secuya, and Kokoy Villamin—lack civil registry records, suggesting fictitious identities for fund diversion.

Campaign Finance Irregularities

Madriaga alleged that the Vice President’s election campaign was illicitly financed by Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, a company implicated in a government procurement scandal.

Unexplained Wealth and Financial Scrutiny

Zero Cash Declaration: Duterte’s SALN from 2019-2024 declared no cash, an unusual declaration for a high-ranking official.

AMLC Report

An Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report flagged P6.7 billion in “covered and suspicious transactions” linked to Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, from 2006-2025. This includes P4.425 billion in inflows and P1.55 billion in outflows, indicating vast unexplained financial movement.

Derogatory Records

The AMLC report indicated “derogatory records” for both, with Duterte being the subject of 27 confidential reports (August 2024-January 2026) citing suspected drug trafficking, graft, corruption, and malversation. Carpio was similarly flagged in 17 reports (September 2017-April 2025) for suspected drug trafficking and malversation, linked to a P6.4 billion shabu importation in 2017 and his wife’s alleged fund misuse.

Inciting to Sedition and Grave Threat

NBI findings pointed to a video where Duterte allegedly threatened President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family under specific circumstances, concluding it constituted inciting to sedition and three counts of grave threat.

The Path Forward

Chairperson Luistro affirmed determination, stating, “We have revealed many things, and we will not allow this to go to waste. The process must continue because this is what justice demands.” Deputy Minority Leader Chel Diokno echoed this, linking accountability to combating corruption.

The consolidated impeachment complaints accuse Vice President Duterte of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution, stemming from the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, threats against President Marcos Jr. and his family, and unexplained wealth.

The House Justice Committee’s unanimous decision signifies a deepening political crisis and an unprecedented challenge to the Vice President’s tenure. The upcoming plenary vote will intensely scrutinize the legislative body’s commitment to accountability at the highest levels of government.