Sara Duterte Claims Impeachment Plot Was Hatched Way Back in 2023 — 'They Already Had a Script'
Vice President Sara Duterte has gone on the offensive, claiming that the impeachment cases filed against her were not spontaneous but part of a coordinated plan dating back to May 2023. Speaking on the first episode of her new SMNI TV show "Ibalik ang Tapang at Malasakit" last Friday, the embattled VP laid out what she called a political conspiracy involving the Makabayan bloc and allies of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
According to Duterte, the seeds of her impeachment were planted when members of the Makabayan bloc raised concerns about confidential funds while she was still vice chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). "They said that if I became NTF-ELCAC vice chair, I would control more confidential funds. So as early as May 11, 2023, they already have a script," she said, suggesting the political groundwork was laid long before formal complaints were filed.
The Vice President also took aim at former House Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Stella Luz Quimbo, accusing her of pushing the narrative that the Office of the Vice President burned through ₱125 million in confidential funds in just 11 days. Duterte also alleged that the Makabayan bloc had met with then-Speaker Romualdez, forming what she described as a "partnership" aimed at taking her down politically.
In her defense, Duterte pointed to the Commission on Audit's findings, saying the COA gave the OVP two Audit Observation Memoranda with an "unmodified opinion" — meaning the agency's financial records were found to be in compliance with auditing standards. She also defended the use of confidential funds, claiming they were directed toward areas facing security threats to education and children, including criminality, insurgency, and violent extremism.
The new TV show appears to be Duterte's latest move to rally public support as she fights the impeachment proceedings. Whether her allegations of a premeditated plot will gain traction remains to be seen, pero one thing's for sure — the VP is not going down quietly.
Source: The Manila Times
