Marcos changes tune on Sara impeachment

Malacañang on Monday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is ready to face any impeachment complaint against him, even as the Palace signaled a noticeable shift in tone on the possible impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, now leaning more firmly toward accountability and due process rather than earlier warnings that her impeachment could derail Congress’ legislative work.

“The President is ready at all times because he respects the Constitution, he respects the process,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters, stressing that an impeachment should be treated as a serious constitutional mechanism and not reduced to political theater or a media stunt.

The Palace’s remarks came as talk of impeachment has resurfaced on two fronts, highlighting the heightened political tension between the stalwarts of the former UniTeam alliance.

House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Edgar Erice earlier revealed that some individuals had asked him to endorse an impeachment complaint against Marcos, citing “betrayal of public trust” linked to the 2026 General Appropriations Act and the handling of multibillion-peso flood control projects now under Senate investigation.

Meanwhile, Makabayan bloc lawmakers said they were preparing a new impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte, set to be filed once the one-year constitutional ban expires on 5 February.

The renewed push revives the unresolved questions over Duterte’s use of confidential and intelligence funds, as well as allegations of illicit financing that have lingered since last year.

On the other hand, Castro was quick to dismiss suggestions that Marcos himself had committed a breach of public trust, calling the accusations speculative and unsupported.

“If we’re talking about breach of public trust, first of all, the President did not steal money. Second, he is the one investigating the anomalous flood control projects that may have caused corruption. And third, he does not have a ‘Mary Grace Piattos,’” Castro said, referring to a name linked to Duterte that was cited in previous testimonies.

Castro added that, as of now, no verified impeachment complaint against Marcos has actually been filed in the House.

The Palace also defended the President’s stewardship of the national budget, saying he has actively worked to protect public funds rather than misuse them.

Castro pointed to safeguards built into the 2025 and 2026 national budgets, including provisions for “conditional implementation” and funds tagged “for later release,” which she said were meant to ensure that agencies and lawmakers met accountability requirements before money was fully disbursed.

“He is the one who promoted these safeguards,” Castro said, adding that Marcos was confident that Congress would act responsibly if an impeachment complaint was formally lodged against him. “There are still sensible lawmakers who know how to choose what is right.”

Castro also pushed back against claims that impeachment threats were being wielded to apply political pressure or to divert attention from the Vice President’s own controversies. She described such narratives as attempts to muddy the issue rather than confront it.

“This is a serious matter. It’s better to answer the real issues,” she said, amid allegations involving embezzlement and supposed links to drug money of Duterte. She urged the Vice President’s supporters to “help their idol” by tackling the accusations head-on, rather than deflecting blame onto the President.

In the Vice President’s case, Castro acknowledged that Marcos had previously cautioned Congress against impeaching her, warning that it would consume the lawmakers’ time and distract them from doing their job of legislation.

But she said the President’s view has since evolved as the scale and depth of the flood control scandal became clearer.

“His only response to me was that the investigation into anomalous flood control projects should be treated the same way as any impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara,” Castro said. “There should be evidence, transparency and accountability.”

She emphasized that Marcos will respect whatever process unfolds under the Constitution and will not interfere with Congress’ deliberations, regardless of who is involved.

The tougher stance marks a clear departure from Marcos’ earlier remarks when he downplayed the impeachment talk against Duterte as a “storm in a teacup” that would not improve “a single Filipino life.”

Palace officials now suggested that mounting public pressure, persistent corruption allegations, and the political fallout of the flood control scandal have made impeachment harder to dismiss — even when it involves the President’s former running mate and ally.