PDP Laban blocks politicians supporting VP Sara's impeachment

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP Laban) on Sunday said it would neither support nor allow politicians who back the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte to run under its political party.

“Those who vote for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte cannot expect political refuge in PDP. They will not be allowed to cross over to the party,” PDP Laban said in a statement.

"They will be blacklisted from running under the PDP banner. And where necessary, PDP will field and support a competitive candidate in their district,” it added.

PDP Laban pointed out that this move is not a “threat” but a matter of “political accountability,” as it described what it called a “politically driven impeachment.”

“PDP will not be a shelter for officials who participate in what we view as a partisan attempt to overturn the will of more than 32 million Filipinos who elected Vice President Sara Duterte," the political party said.

“No refuge. No party endorsement. No PDP banner for those who betray the people’s mandate.”

Sara's brother and son of former president Rodrigo Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, was appointed as PDP Laban's president in April.

Baste was elected as vice mayor of Davao City with his father as his running mate in 2025 and later became acting mayor after his father was arrested on charges related to the elder Duterte’s drug war. Baste was sworn in as mayor in January this year.

In an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, Sara said she is already a “presumptive candidate” for the next presidential race after declaring her intention to run.

“I'm already a presumptive candidate because I declared my intention to run for the next presidential elections,” Sara said.

“We can only pray that there will be a presidential election in 2028 and it will be honest, orderly, and peaceful,” she added.

Via unanimous vote, the House Committee on Justice found probable cause to impeach Duterte anew based on two impeachment complaints filed against her this year.

The two impeachment complaints filed against the Vice President accuse her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, among others, mainly over the following acts:

-alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds and using them as bribes
-threatening to kill President Marcos, Jr. and his family, including her desire to remove the head of the Chief Executive, and
-alleged accumulation of unexplained wealth

On May 4, the House Committee on Justice unanimously approved the committee report with attached resolution setting forth the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, clearing the way for the House plenary vote.

House Committee on Justice chairperson Representative Gerville Luistro is scheduled to sponsor the committee report and the resolution setting forth the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte during the session on Monday, May 11.

Luistro said the House of Representatives will be ready to vote on the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte by May 11.

After the voting on the committee report and the resolution setting forth the Articles of Impeachment, the House may elect the 11 impeachment prosecutors.

A total of 106 votes are needed to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III has said the Senate will convene as an impeachment court upon receipt of the Articles of Impeachment from the House of Representatives.

Duterte said she is unbothered by the possibility of losing her post amid ongoing impeachment efforts.

Speaking before supporters and members of the Filipino community in the Netherlands last week, the vice president said she could continue helping Filipinos even outside government service, while also criticizing the administration’s priorities, corruption, and handling of the economy. —KG, GMA News