New Impeachment Complaint Filed Against VP Sara Duterte

A new impeachment complaint has been filed against Vice President Sara Duterte by a group led by Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares, reopening efforts to hold her accountable following the expiration of the one-year bar on impeachment filings.

Colmenares said the latest filing was prompted by the Supreme Court’s most recent interpretation of the one-year bar rule, which counts the prohibition period using calendar days rather than session days, allowing complainants to move again after it lapsed on January 15.

Colmenares stressed that the decision to file reflects adherence to both the Supreme Court’s ruling and the Constitution, which sets the ground rules for impeachment complaints against high officials. The one-year bar provision prohibits the filing of more than one impeachment complaint against the same official within a 12-month period.

Civil society groups and lawmakers previously filed multiple impeachment complaints against Duterte in 2024. The first complaint was lodged on December 2, 2024, citing offenses such as graft, corruption, and betrayal of public trust, among other allegations. A series of other complaints followed, including accusations of misuse of confidential funds and other alleged misconduct.

In February 2025, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte after at least 215 lawmakers endorsed a complaint, making her the first vice president in Philippine history to be impeached. However, the Supreme Court later struck down the impeachment articles as unconstitutional, ruling that they were barred by the one-year rule on subsequent filings and that the process violated her right to due process. The Court noted that no new impeachment complaint may be commenced earlier than February 6, 2026.

The current complaint comes amid ongoing political tensions surrounding Duterte, who has also faced scrutiny from civil society and activist groups over alleged misuse of public funds, bribery, threats against officials, and obstruction of legislative oversight. Duterte’s legal team has expressed readiness to contest such complaints and defend her constitutional rights.

As the impeachment process begins anew, the House of Representatives will determine whether the submitted complaint meets the constitutional requirements and whether the allegations merit further proceedings in Congress.