Manila: The Philippine Congress is advancing with the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. The Justice Committee of the Philippine House of Representatives voted on Wednesday, determining there is sufficient cause to proceed with impeachment proceedings against Duterte. This represents a significant step that could impact her potential candidacy for the presidency in the upcoming election.

According to Thai News Agency, the impeachment motion is set to be forwarded to the House of Representatives for a vote during its session next month. The motion requires the support of only one-third of the House's members to advance to the Senate for trial. Should the Senate find her guilty, Duterte would face removal from office and a lifetime ban from political activities.

The impeachment petition, filed by civil society groups and left-wing political factions, accuses the vice president of misusing public funds, illicit enrichment, and threatening the lives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and the former Speaker of the House of Commons, who has familial ties to Marcos. Duterte denies these allegations, asserting that the charges are politically motivated.

The alliance between President Duterte and Marcos Jr., who achieved a landslide victory in the 2022 election, has deteriorated. This development occurs amid speculation that Duterte could be a leading candidate to succeed Marcos as president in 2028, as the constitution restricts Marcos to a single term. Concurrently, her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, faces trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, over charges related to mass killings during his "war on drugs" policy.

A prior impeachment attempt against President Duterte in July was dismissed by the Supreme Court due to procedural errors. President Marcos has opted for a neutral stance, distancing himself from the ongoing impeachment process.