The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) on Sunday declared its “firm and principled opposition” to the impeachment efforts against Vice President Sara Duterte, warning lawmakers who support the move that they would face political consequences within the party.

In a strongly worded statement, the party accused critics of the Vice President of using impeachment as a political weapon ahead of the 2028 national elections, rather than pursuing genuine accountability.

“At a time when the Filipino people are burdened by rising costs, corruption scandals, weakening trust in institutions, and urgent national concerns, the continued push to remove the Vice President appears less like a sincere pursuit of accountability and more like a calculated political maneuver aimed at 2028 and beyond,” the party said.

The PDP also said public officials who vote in favor of impeachment proceedings against Duterte would be barred from joining or running under the party in future elections.

“Those who vote for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte cannot expect political refuge in PDP,” the statement read.  

“They will not be allowed to cross over to the party. They will be blacklisted from running under the PDP banner.”

The party added that it was prepared to field and support rival candidates against lawmakers who back the impeachment effort, describing the move as “political accountability” rather than a threat.

"No refuge. No party endorsement. No PDP banner for those who betray the people's mandate."

PDP maintained that it was defending the mandate of the more than 32 million Filipinos who voted for Duterte in the 2022 elections.

“A political party has the right and the duty to protect its principles, its members, and the mandate of the people it represents,” the statement said. 

“PDP will not be a shelter for officials who participate in what we view as a partisan attempt to overturn the will” of Duterte’s supporters.

The party also referenced reports that some religious and civic organizations were monitoring the positions of elected officials on the impeachment issue, suggesting that voters and advocacy groups would remember where politicians stood on the matter.

The statement concluded with a call for unity behind constitutional order and opposition to what the party described as the “weaponization of impeachment for political elimination.”

“For the country. For the people. For 2028 and beyond,” the PDP said.