Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte’s wealth scrutinised in impeachment probe
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A hearing by the House of Representatives’ justice committee on April 22 zeroed in on Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte’s asset reports and bank transactions.
PHOTO: REUTERS
MANILA – Philippine lawmakers expanded their impeachment probe into Vice-President Sara Duterte to include her financial transactions, as they scrutinised why she did not report any cash holdings for six years.
The hearing by the House of Representatives’ justice committee on April 22 zeroed in on Ms Duterte’s asset reports and bank transactions, particularly on her alleged lack of any declarations of cash on hand or in banks from 2019 to 2024.
“The sudden and sustained disappearance of declarations of liquid assets casts doubt into the correctness and completeness of Vice-President Duterte’s subsequent statements of assets, liabilities and net worth,” Representative Leila de Lima, who sponsored an impeachment complaint against Ms Duterte, said during the televised hearing.
Ms Duterte’s net worth rose to 88.5 million pesos (S$1.9 million) in 2024 from 55.6 million pesos in 2019, according to her statements of assets and liabilities disclosed at the hearing.
The Philippine Vice-President’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the committee’s findings.
Her counsel has maintained that there is no basis to impeach Ms Duterte, who has denied accusations of threatening to assassinate Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and misusing public funds.
Allegations of concealed wealth and undeclared assets have, in the past, led to the impeachment and ouster of a government official.
The House panel earlier compelled the Office of the Ombudsman to produce Ms Duterte’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth. It summoned the anti-money laundering watchdog to the impeachment inquiries.
Ms Duterte has been fending off political challenges ever since her alliance with Mr Marcos fell apart due to public tirades and policy differences.
Mr Marcos won a landslide victory alongside Ms Duterte in the 2022 election.
She has declared her presidential ambitions and is a leading contender to succeed Mr Marcos, whose single six-year term ends in 2028.
The latest bid to impeach the Philippine Vice-President follows an unsuccessful attempt in 2025.
She was impeached by the House on largely similar accusations, but the Senate later shelved the case after the Supreme Court invalidated it on procedural grounds. BLOOMBERG
