VICE President Sara Duterte said it is unfair to drag her family into the impeachment complaints filed against her, stressing that her relatives, including her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, are private individuals who should not be involved in political proceedings.
Speaking in an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, on May 5, 2026 (Philippine time), Duterte responded to questions about criticisms that have extended to members of her family amid the impeachment controversy.
“Well, I think it’s unfair dahil hindi naman sila Vice President and hindi naman sila ini-impeach (Well, I think it’s unfair because they are not the Vice President and they are not the ones being impeached),” Duterte said.
“And tulad ng mga asawa at mga anak din ng mga congressman, they have the right to privacy being ordinary individuals and private citizens (Like the spouses and children of congressmen, they also have the right to privacy as ordinary individuals and private citizens),” she added.
The impeachment complaints against Duterte stem from allegations related to her conduct in office, including issues surrounding the use of confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President.
During House of Representatives discussions and public debates on the issue, Carpio’s name surfaced in connection with financial records linked to the controversy.
Reports said bank transaction documents involving Duterte and Carpio were discussed during congressional proceedings, prompting Carpio to file complaints over alleged violations of the Bank Secrecy Law. Carpio does not hold any government position.
Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV also alleged during impeachment proceedings that around ₱181 million from an individual identified as alleged drug lord Sammy Uy had been distributed among members of the Duterte family.
Those named included Duterte, her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, Carpio, Honeylet Avanceña, and Veronica “Kitty” Duterte.
Duterte maintained that impeachment proceedings should focus only on public officials directly involved in the case.
She is currently in The Hague to visit the former president, who is facing charges before the International Criminal Court over his administration’s war on drugs.
The vice president said she has not discussed the impeachment developments with her father.
“Hindi ko binanggit sa kanya ang impeachment at hindi ko binanggit sa kanya ang mga nangyari sa House of Representatives (I did not mention the impeachment or what happened in the House of Representatives),” Duterte said.
She said she did not want to burden the former president, now 81 years old, with negative developments while he remains in detention.
Duterte also described the country’s political climate as increasingly heated ahead of the 2028 elections, where she has already announced plans to run for president.
“So kung ma-impeach ako, ‘yan ay sinulat na ng Diyos. Hindi man ako ma-impeach (So if I get impeached, then that is part of God’s plan. And if I do not get impeached, then that, too, is God’s will),” she said. RGL
