Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not interfere in any attempt to file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, Malacañang said Tuesday, Jan. 6, as the process is a function of Congress.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the filing of impeachment complaints has not been discussed in any meeting convened by the president.
“Ang pagsasampa po ng impeachment complaint ng anumang grupo ay hindi po ito sakop ng Pangulo,” Castro said.
[Translation: The filing of an impeachment complaint by any group is not under the president’s authority.]
“Sa kasalukuyan ay wala pong napag-uusapan sa anumang meeting na patungkol sa impeachment laban kay bise presidente,” she added.
[Translation: At present, there have been no discussions in any meeting regarding impeachment against the vice president.]
Castro said the president has been consistent in seeking accountability from anyone in government service.
“Ang dapat managot ay dapat managot. Hindi po magkakaroon ng pagkakaisa kung may naiiwang isyu na dapat na sagutin,” she said.
[Translation: Those who must be held accountable should be held accountable. There can be no unity if there are unresolved issues that need to be answered.]
Asked whether Marcos could use his influence to dissuade lawmakers from another impeachment attempt in light of what was described as a “failed impeachment” effort against Duterte in 2025, Castro rejected the idea.
“On our part, we cannot say that was a failed impeachment. There’s still a pending case before the Supreme Court,” she said.
In July 2025, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled the impeachment filed against Duterte as invalid for going beyond the one-year bar on filing new cases.
Complainants in the consolidated impeachment cases against Duterte have signaled plans to refile once the one-year constitutional ban lapses in February.
