VICE President Sara Duterte vowed on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, to stand firm against “leaders whose greed will bring down our homeland.”
In a statement following the declaration of Supreme Court that the Articles of Impeachment against her were unconstitutional, Duterte expressed gratitude to those who stood by her.
This included her defense team, who took her case “even when no one else was willing to stand by me,” and the petitioners who challenged the constitutionality of the impeachment complaints filed by the House of Representatives before the Senate.
“To those whose voices rang out in dissent against persecution — thank you. Your courage to speak the truth has been a source of strength. And to the parents, children, and silent supporters who offered their prayers for justice — thank you. Your quiet faith lifts me up,” said Duterte.
“Our country deserves better, and we shall stand tall, strong, and resilient against leaders whose greed will bring down our homeland. We deserve better. Mahalin natin ang Pilipinas — para sa Diyos, bayan, at bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” she added.
On February 5, the last session day of Congress before it went on a four-month break ahead of the May 2025 midterm polls, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte and immediately submitted the seven Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.
The complaint was the fourth impeachment case filed against Duterte before the House of Representatives since December 2025.
Among the grounds cited were Duterte’s alleged involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., his wife, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez; the malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) during her tenure as secretary from 2022 to 2024; and bribery and corruption in the DepEd.
Two petitions related to Duterte’s impeachment were filed before the Supreme Court — one seeking to compel the Senate to convene as an impeachment court and begin trial, and another asking the Court to declare the impeachment complaint null and void.
During the June 10 hearing, as the Senate convened as the impeachment court for Duterte’s trial, senator-judges approved the return of the complaints to the House of Representatives to clarify the following:
That the House of Representatives certify there was no violation of Article XI, Section 3, Paragraph 5 of the Constitution, which states that “No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within one year”; and include the circumstances surrounding the filing of the first three impeachment complaints; and
That the 20th Congress of the House of Representatives communicate to the Senate its willingness and readiness to pursue the impeachment complaint against the Vice President.
On July 25, the Supreme Court announced that 13 justices had voted in favor of declaring the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte unconstitutional, citing violations of her right to due process under the Bill of Rights and Article XI, Section 3(5) of the Constitution, which states that “no impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year.” (TPM/SunStar Philippines)