Tue Feb 18 09:17:28 UTC 2025: ## Duterte Impeachment Bid Slammed as Politically Motivated, Lacking Due Process
**Manila, Philippines** – Lawyers representing Vice President Sara Duterte have filed a Supreme Court petition to dismiss her impeachment proceedings, alleging a politically motivated attack devoid of due process. The petition, filed Tuesday, argues that the House of Representatives rushed through the impeachment—which includes charges of corruption, betrayal of public trust, and an alleged assassination plot against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—without affording Duterte a fair hearing.
Lawyer Israelito Torreon, one of 29 petitioners, stated that the Vice President was never summoned to address the accusations, rendering the entire process invalid. He further claimed the impeachment aims to disqualify Duterte from the 2028 presidential race.
The impeachment, passed by the House on February 5th, centers around accusations of misusing intelligence funds and a controversial statement where Duterte claimed she instructed someone to kill Marcos should she be killed first. Duterte maintains the latter was merely a frustrated outburst. The assassination plot charge stems from this expletive-laden broadcast.
The impeachment comes amidst a growing rift between Duterte and President Marcos Jr., who were allies during their successful 2022 election campaign. Recently, Marcos publicly denounced the violent anti-drug crackdown of Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President’s father, further fueling speculation of the political motivations behind the impeachment. This tension was heightened last week when Rodrigo Duterte called for the assassination of 15 senators. Police have filed a criminal complaint against him for these comments.
The Senate is scheduled to hold an impeachment trial this summer, but the petition seeks to halt these proceedings and invalidate the entire process. The Supreme Court is now tasked with determining the validity of the impeachment and the due process afforded to Vice President Duterte.
First Piper 