Marcos Denies Role in VP Duterte’s Impeachment, Says Congress Acted Independently

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reaffirmed that he had no role in the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, emphasizing that the move was initiated solely by members of Congress.

Speaking from the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, Marcos sought to dispel speculation that he orchestrated the effort, noting that none of his political allies in the House of Representatives filed the complaint. He maintained that the lawmakers who backed the impeachment acted independently and were not under his direction.

On February 5, during the 19th Congress, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Duterte, with more than 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The charges include betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

Ilocos Norte Representative Sandro Marcos, the President’s son, was among the first to sign the complaint. His move was widely interpreted as a response to Duterte’s previous public attacks against the Marcos family, including controversial remarks regarding the remains of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

However, former Senate President Franklin Drilon cast doubt on whether the impeachment trial will move forward. Drilon, a former justice secretary and veteran legislator, raised legal concerns about the authority of the 20th Congress to act on a complaint filed during the 19th Congress. He also pointed to a likely shortage of votes in the Senate to secure a conviction and noted that President Marcos's public stance may influence senators to avoid pushing the trial further.

The Senate is set to formally open the impeachment proceedings on June 2 with the reading of the Articles of Impeachment, but the continuation of the trial remains uncertain amid mounting legal and political questions.