A supposed leaked document claiming the United States is pushing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fast-track Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment is causing a stir online — but Malacañang says it’s pure fiction.

The document, dated 18 April and labeled a “Memorandum of the National Security Adviser,” alleges that US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has urged his Philippine counterpart, Eduardo Año, to make Duterte’s removal a top priority.

The memo that has gone viral described Duterte as a “political risk” and claimed the US feared that her possible rise to the presidency could derail Marcos’ exit plans and destabilize US-Philippine ties.

Not so fast — Palace

In a blunt rebuttal, the National Security Council (NSC) called the document “a clear fabrication.”

It stressed that no such memo exists in its official records and that even the barcode on the document was lifted from an unrelated file — evidence, officials said, of a deliberate tampering.

“Yes, Año and Waltz did speak — but that was on 11 April, not 18 April,” the NSC clarified. “We released a full readout of that conversation the very next day. There was absolutely no discussion of domestic political matters like the VP’s impeachment.”

The Palace also emphasized that the US has not meddled —and won’t meddle — in Philippine political affairs.

Año’s office is coordinating with cybercrime experts from the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Information and Communications Technology to track down whoever is behind the disinformation campaign, warning of looming criminal charges.

What the ‘leaked’ memo claims

The fake document painted a dramatic picture. It claimed Waltz warned Año that Duterte remains “the most competitive presidential contender” and could upend both Marcos’ safe exit strategy and the US’ interests in Southeast Asia.

The memo alleged the US advised making impeachment proceedings a “priority to manage political risks,” even offering “support” to ensure a swift conviction.

For context, Sara Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, famously shifted Philippine foreign policy closer to China and away from the US — a move Washington would likely want to avoid repeating.

Where things really stand

While the leak may be fake, Duterte’s impeachment is very real. She was impeached by the House in February 2025 with a commanding 215 votes — well over the required two-thirds threshold.

The charges were misuse of confidential funds as Vice President and during her tenure as education secretary, and making threats against the President and other high-ranking officials.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero recently confirmed that the Senate will convene as an impeachment court on 30 July, despite public debate over the timing. To convict Duterte, at least 16 of the 24 senators must vote in favor — a high bar, but one that is being closely watched.

What Año-Waltz call really covered

Officials said the Año-Waltz meeting focused on defense and security cooperation. Both sides agreed to deepen security ties under existing agreements like the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and discussed rotating allied forces with other partner countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

They reaffirmed their joint commitment to defend Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, amid growing clashes between the Philippine Coast Guard and Chinese vessels. Both advisers praised the PH-US Roadmap for the South China Sea as a critical deterrent against Chinese “coercion.”

The two sides also pledged closer cooperation to monitor and restrict sensitive “dual use” technologies — software and goods with both civilian and military applications — to prevent proliferation risks. They discussed expanding multilateral coordination with ASEAN countries and Pacific Island nations to push back against regional security threats, signaling stronger cooperation in the months ahead.

The bigger picture

This latest controversy highlights just how high the political temperature is running in Manila.

While the Palace insists there’s no foreign meddling, the leak — real or not — taps into deep-seated tensions about Marcos’ alliance with the US and Sara Duterte’s formidable political base.

One thing is clear: As 30 July approaches, all eyes will be on the Senate — and on whether this social media storm could spill over into a real political upheaval.