Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte has condemned the House of Representatives’ decision to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, calling it “baseless” and an act of “political persecution.” His statement comes after 215 lawmakers endorsed an impeachment complaint against the Vice President on grounds of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
The impeachment charges stem from allegations that Duterte misused ₱612 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during her tenure as Education Secretary.
“I am appalled and enraged by the desperate and politically motivated efforts to railroad the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte,” Pulong Duterte stated. He specifically accused Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin of leading what he described as “sinister maneuvering” to collect signatures and push for the impeachment’s immediate approval.
INC Rally and Political Tensions
Rep. Duterte referenced the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) rally held on January 13, which gathered over one million supporters opposing the Vice President’s impeachment.
“If they were unfazed by the over one million rallying supporters of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, then they are blindly marching toward an even greater storm—one that could shake the very foundation of their rule,” he warned.
He further claimed that the impeachment undermines democracy and aims to silence opposition through fabricated accusations. “If the Marcos administration thinks it can push this sham impeachment without consequence, they are gravely mistaken,” Duterte said.
Panelo: Move Aims to Disqualify VP Sara from 2028 Presidential Race
Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, who served under former President Rodrigo Duterte, echoed Pulong Duterte’s sentiments, alleging that the impeachment is part of a larger plot to derail Sara Duterte’s 2028 presidential bid.
“The purpose is to destroy and besmirch the reputation of VP Sara with the ultimate goal of disqualifying her from the 2028 presidential elections, being the leading contender,” Panelo said.
He also criticized lawmakers for ignoring both the public’s opposition and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s supposed desire to avoid a divisive political battle.
“This will fan the flames of disgust and rage against their willful and brazen violation of the guarantees enshrined in the Constitution,” Panelo added, predicting that the impeachment will only galvanize support for the Vice President.
House Leadership Yet to Respond
GMA News Online has reached out to House leadership for comment on Rep. Duterte’s and Panelo’s statements but has yet to receive a response.