By Youth Against Kurakot Coalition
Refusing to let technical setbacks stall the pursuit of justice, the Youth Against Kurakot (YAK) Coalition joined forces Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, with civil society leaders and the church at the House of Representatives to re-file a historic impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
As students, we are constantly told that there is no budget for education, mental health services, and student welfare,” said Matthew Silverio, secretary-general of the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines. “When serious allegations of the misuse of public funds surface, it becomes clear that corruption directly steals from the youth and from our future.”
“Our classrooms are overflowing, yet our budgets are being drained in secret. This isn’t a script; it is a reckoning. We are reclaiming the education that was taken from us,” Silverio added.
Anna Cubacub, convenor of the Babae at Akla Kontra Korap Coalition, emphasized that corruption is a direct assault on the most vulnerable sectors. “The push to impeach VP Sara Duterte is young people holding the line on public accountability,” Cubacub stated. “It is a continued fight of all young Filipinos — especially LGBTIQ+ youth and young women — to end impunity and corruption in all their forms.”
“It has been incumbent for us to ensure that our democratic institutions work, even against a political dynasty like the Dutertes, who for too long have bent so many laws and treated public funds as their own,” Cubacub added. “They have normalized and contracted killings, and we are here to say that the era of impunity must end.”
Zik Rivera of UP Alyansa echoed these sentiments, warning that the tactics of political victimhood would no longer suffice in the face of truth and democracy. “We are picking up exactly where we left off. This is a defense of the integrity of our institutions. The youth will continue to seek accountability until every centavo of the public’s money is fully accounted for.”
The re-filing was supported by a broad united front, including Kiko Aquino Dee, former peace secretary Ging Deles and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Fr. Flavie Villanueva. The complaint details five articles of impeachment, including culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and betrayal of public trust.
“The question here is what kind of future we are willing to accept,” Silverio declared. “Whether it’s billions from the flood control scam or millions from Sara Duterte’s confidential funds, every peso stolen is an attack on the youth’s future. We refuse to stand by while classrooms go unbuilt, teachers go unpaid, and students are left behind. The likes of Sara Duterte must be held accountable,” Silverio concluded.
With a deeper resolve that fueled the Trillion Peso March Movement, YAK stands firm: Impunity ends when democracy is defended, when our institutions are wielded for the people, and when no dynasty, no official, and no office is allowed to steal the youth’s future.