Palace: Marcos to respect process in new impeachment raps vs VP Sara

Malacañang said Monday that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. would respect the process on the possible filing of a new impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked if the President would not stop the filing of another impeachment complaint against Duterte.

''Igagalang niya po ang proseso, kung ang prosesong 'yan ay dapat masampa ayon sa mga ebidensya, igagalang po ng Pangulo ang proseso,'' Castro responded. 

(We will respect the process, if this process should be filed based on evidence, the President will respect the process.)

She said that last week, she was able to talk to Marcos about the matter. Castro said the President told her that the possible impeachment complaint against Duterte should be treated similarly to the probe into the anomalous flood control projects. 

''Noong nakaraang linggo po ay nakausap natin ang Pangulo at tinanong natin tungkol diyan... dahil sinabi po natin tinatanong na po ng MPC ano ang magiging reaksyon sa napapabalitang pagsasampa ng impeachment complaint laban sa Bise Presidente,'' Castro said.

(Last week we talked to the President and asked him regarding the issue... since we mentioned the Malacanang Press Corps has been asking his reaction regarding the reported filing of an impeachment complaint against the Vice President.)

''Ang tanging tugon lamang niya sa akin ay kung ano po ang pagtrato sa pagimbestiga sa flood control projects, mga maanomalyang flood control projects, ganoon din po ang gawing pagtrato sa paggagawa or sa pagiimbestiga patungkol sa impeachment complaint laban kay VP Sara,'' she added. 

(His sole response to me was whatever way the treatment is to the investigation of the anomalous flood control projects, that is how we shall treat the process or probe when it comes to the impeachment complaints versus VP Sara.)

To recall, Marcos had expressed belief that ousting Duterte from power would not benefit the lives of Filipinos.

In what appears to be a change in Marcos' stance, Castro was asked about the President's previous remark on impeachment and she said Marcos could have not seen yet the scope of the issue before.

''Hindi pa siguro nakikita kung gaano kalawak ang maaaring naging isyu noon,'' she said.

(We might not have seen how wide the issue is.)

House public accounts panel chairperson and Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon earlier said the filing of a new impeachment complaint against Duterte next month is possible even if the Supreme Court (SC) has yet to resolve the House of Representatives’ appeal on its decision declaring the impeachment raps filed against Duterte in 2025 as illegal.

Duterte had said she was not surprised by the plans to refile an impeachment complaint against her, alleging that it is being used as a “bargaining chip” by certain lawmakers before the passage of the 2026 national budget. 

A July 2025 Supreme Court decision ruled that the impeachment case against Duterte was unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar rule.  It added that the House of Representatives violated her rights to due process.—LDF/RF, GMA Integrated News