John Adoyi
Embattled Vice President of Philippine, Sara Duterte, has accused her Principal, President Ferdinand Marcos, of orchestrating her remove from office, escalating tensions within the country’s top leadership.
The accusation came after police filed criminal complaints against Duterte at a federal prosecution office on Wednesday alleging her involvement in a series of disruptive incidents at the Philippine parliament and a federal hospital, after her chief of staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez was detained by the parliament for contempt by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe charges, which include direct assault, disobedience to authority, and grave coercion, stem from an altercation involving Duterte and three of her staff. According to police, the Vice President’s team allegedly assaulted a police officer who they described as “not an ordinary officer” but a doctor serving in the police force. Authorities have emphasised the seriousness of the accusations, stating they “cannot let this pass.”
Speaking on Wednesday, Duterte dismissed the allegations as baseless. “The complaints do not hold water,” she said. “It is clear that they are really going after me. They want to remove me from power.” She described her relationship with Marcos as having reached a “point of no return.”
The Vice President’s legal troubles come as she remains embroiled in a high-profile battle with Congress over the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million ($10.4 million USD) in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during her tenure. Lawmakers have launched investigations into the matter, alleging that the funds were improperly handled and lacked proper documentation.
Duterte, who also serves as Secretary of Education, has denied any wrongdoing and criticized the inquiries as politically motivated. Her opponents have pointed to the controversy as evidence of systemic corruption, while her supporters argue that the scrutiny is part of a larger campaign to discredit her.
Collapse of an Alliance
The political fallout marks a dramatic unraveling of the alliance between two of the Philippines’ most powerful political dynasties. Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte who ruled from 2016 to 2022 and Marcos Jr. the son of former President Ferdinand Marcos who ruled from 1965 to 1986 swept the 2022 elections on a platform of unity. However, their partnership fractured following disagreements between Duterte and Marcos’ cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, over key policy and political moves.
Duterte’s fiery rhetoric has further fueled the conflict. On Saturday, she made a controversial statement about hiring an assassin to kill President Marcos, his wife, and House Speaker Romualdez should she be assassinated. The remarks prompted outrage, with the President calling the statement “reckless and dangerous.”
Law enforcement summoned Duterte for questioning on Tuesday regarding her remarks. She later clarified, describing her statement as a “conditional act of revenge” taken out of context to fabricate a narrative that Marcos’ life was in danger.
The Justice Department has warned that Duterte’s comments could constitute a violation of the country’s anti-terrorism law. Justice Undersecretary, Jesse Andres, said in a briefing that threatening harm, particularly with the intent to intimidate or sow fear, may be classified as terrorism under Philippine law.
Duterte, however, dismissed such interpretations. “There is no active threat if I do not get killed,” she said on Wednesday, declining to specify any threats to her safety. She however said the government was weaponizing the anti-terror law to freeze her assets, cancel her passport, trigger a Red Notice, among others.
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The unfolding drama underscores the growing hostility between Duterte and the Marcos administration. Duterte has repeatedly accused the President’s camp of undermining her position and leveraging state institutions against her. “They want to remove me from power,” she said, framing the charges as part of a larger political conspiracy.
She maintained the threats to her and her family are real and “documented”, long before the tension in the Parliament.
