1 week Ago By Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo
VICE President (VP) Sara Duterte maintained on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, that her endorsement of some senatorial candidates for the May 2025 national elections has nothing to do with her impending impeachment trial. In an interview in Danao City in Cebu, Duterte said she decided to endorse the candidacies of Partido ng Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan’s (PDP Laban) 10 senatorial bets, as well as of presidential sister re-electionist Senator Imee Marcos and Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar, despite her earlier declaration that she will not endorse anyone, due to the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. VP Duterte said her father, who is detained at the Hague, Netherlands amid the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the alleged crime against humanity during the implementation of his drug war, requested for her to support PDP Laban’s senatorial candidates since he is not capable of doing it as the party’s chairman.
“Hindi ma’am eh, kasi ang nag-trigger ng paglabas ko ay ‘yung ginawa nila kay Pangulong Duterte. At ‘yung ginawa nila na injustice kay Pangulong Duterte na kinuha nila dito sa Pilipinas, sapilitan nilang sinakay sa airplane na walang mga permiso, walang mga permits at dinala nila doon sa Hague at ipinakulong nila sa mga dayuhan,” she said. (No, ma’am, because what triggered me to come out was what they did to President Duterte.
The injustice they committed against President Duterte — they forcibly took him here in the Philippines, put him on a plane without any authorization or permits, and brought him to The Hague where they imprisoned him under foreign authorities.) Earlier, Deputy Majority Leader and La Union First District Representative Paolo Ortega V and Lanao del Sur First District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong said VP Duterte is endorsing some senatorial candidates to gain support in her upcoming impeachment trial. VP Duterte said her lawyers expressed confidence in winning the impeachment case endorsed by the House of Representatives against her to the Senate.
“Sinabi nila that they are more than confident in winning the impeachment trial -- impeachment case,” she said. A total of 240 House lawmakers supported the impeachment of Duterte which revolves around six major allegations, each linked to alleged violations of the 1987 Constitution, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and other laws. It includes VP Duterte’s involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
, his wife, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez; the malversation of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President, as well as the Department of Education (DepEd) during her time as the secretary from 2022 to 2024; and the bribery and corruption in the DepEd. Also cited in the complaints was VP Duterte’s unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets, her involvement in extrajudicial killings particularly during her time as the mayor of Davao City and for engaging in destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder.
Based on the proposed calendar of impeachment trial released by Senate President Francis Escudero earlier, the start of the trial was set on July 30, 2025. Meanwhile, the Vice President expressed elation over the increase in her approval rating and the decrease in her disapproval rating. Based on the survey conducted by Pulse Asia in March, an uptrend was recorded on VP Duterte’s approval rating from 52 percent in February to 59 percent in March while her disapproval fell from 26 to 16 percent.
“Nagulat ako nung nakita po ‘yung numbers ng pagtitiwala ng mga tao sa akin. Dahil sa sobrang dami nang lumabas ng paninira sa kung saan man galing, sa mga politiko, galing sa social media, lahat, all sides, merong paninira. Nakakagulat na tumataas ‘yung numbers at naisip ko na sa sobrang sira nila ng pangalan ko,” VP Duterte said.
(I was surprised when I saw the numbers showing the public’s trust in me. Because there’s been so much mudslinging coming from all directions — from politicians, from social media, from everywhere. Despite all that, it’s surprising that the numbers are going up, and I thought, maybe it’s because they’ve tried so hard to ruin my name.
) “Sinabi ko na ito noon, sabi ko, hindi naman kasi lumilipat sa numbers ni Martin Romualdez. Kasi nga, sinabi ko nga din noon, na kapag hindi ako tumakbong presidente, hindi pupunta ‘yung boto ko kay Martin Romualdez. Pupunta siya sa ibang kandidato.
Dapat naiintindihan nila ‘yan ngayon. Pero siyempre, hindi nila maitindihan yan kasi mga brilliant lang na mga tao po ang nakakaintindi na saan ba pupunta ang boto,” she added. (I’ve said this before — I said the numbers don’t transfer to Martin Romualdez.
I also said back then that if I don’t run for president, my votes won’t go to Martin Romualdez. They’ll go to another candidate. They should understand that by now.
But of course, they don’t — only brilliant people can really understand where the votes actually go.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines).
