Sara Duterte Slams Akbayan Impeachment Bid: “A Political Weapon, Not a Search for Truth”

In a strongly worded public statement dated February 7, 2026, Vice President Sara Duterte rejected the impeachment complaint endorsed by Akbayan, calling it baseless, politically motivated, and abusive of constitutional processes.

Opening her statement with greetings in Islamic, Bisaya, and Filipino traditions, Duterte framed the issue not merely as a personal attack, but as a national concern involving the integrity of impeachment as a democratic safeguard.

⚖️ “A Paper Without Evidence”

Duterte described the complaint as “isang papel na walang kalakip na kahit anong ebidensiya”, stressing that despite repeated investigations — including congressional probes — no direct violation regarding the use of confidential funds has ever been proven.

She traced the origins of the impeachment push to her departure from the Cabinet, which she said followed growing frustration over the administration’s inability to explain worsening poverty and governance failures.

Politikanta jab:
Kapag walang ebidensya, inuulit ang paratang — hanggang magsawa ang taumbayan.

🦅 From “Investigation” to Impeachment Blueprint

The Vice President recalled how, during the 19th Congress, an “investigation in aid of legislation” was allegedly used not to craft laws, but to conduct a fishing expedition designed to justify a future impeachment.

Central to this narrative was the repeated revival of the “Mary Grace Piattos” issue — a claim Duterte said collapsed under scrutiny yet was kept alive for political convenience.

She further alleged that impeachment efforts escalated into signature-buying and promised projects, accusations that, according to her, were publicly admitted by some lawmakers themselves.

🏛️ Questioning Akbayan’s Credibility

Duterte went further, challenging Akbayan’s moral authority to initiate impeachment, citing public declarations by its leadership of presidential ambitions — a factor she said exposes the political calculus behind the complaint.

She recalled an August 2024 speech by Senator Risa Hontiveros, quoting remarks that framed her continued presence in office as an obstacle to preventing a Duterte political comeback.

For Duterte, the implication was unmistakable: impeachment was being used not as a constitutional remedy, but as preemptive political neutralization.

Politikanta jab:
Kapag ang impeachment ay ginawang campaign strategy, demokrasya ang nasusugatan.

✝️ Faith, Nation, and Warning

Duterte closed her statement with a broader reflection, warning that abuse of impeachment harms not just individuals, but the Filipino people themselves.

Scripture echoes this caution:

“Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees.”
— Isaiah 10:1 (KJV)

Impeachment, she emphasized, must remain a sacred instrument of justice, not a blunt weapon of political harassment.

Final Politikanta jab:
Kapag nanaig ang abuso, bayan ang talo.