Impeachment vs Sara Duterte: Marcos wants flood scam-level scrutiny

January 12, 2026 | 5:01pm

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants any new impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte to undergo the same level of scrutiny applied to the ongoing flood control investigations, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Monday, January 12.

Reports are circulating about the possible filing of another impeachment complaint against Duterte, with the one-year ban set to lapse in February.

During impeachment deliberations at the House of Representatives in 2025, Marcos said he did not want Duterte impeached.

While he did not say he welcomed it, Marcos stressed that any complaint should be carefully examined.

“Kung ano po ang pagtrato sa pag-iimbestiga sa flood control projects, mga anomalyang flood control projects, ganoon din po ang gawing pagtrato sa paggagawa o sa pag-iimbestiga patungkol dito sa impeachment complaint laban kay VP Sara,” Castro said during a press briefing.

(However the flood control project anomalies are being investigated, that should also be how the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara is scrutinized.)

Castro said the president believes accountability should apply to anyone found liable, regardless of position.

She added that Marcos will respect the impeachment process should another complaint be filed against his 2022 running mate.

Palace responds to impeachment rumors

The Palace’s comments came amid separate impeachment rumors involving Marcos himself, after House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Rep. Edgar Erice (Caloocan) said he had been invited to join efforts to remove the president from office.

Castro said Marcos is prepared for any political eventuality, contrasting his situation with allegations faced by Duterte over the use of confidential funds.

“Ang pangulo po, unang-una, hindi po siya nagnakaw ng pera; pangalawa, siya po ang nagpapaimbestiga sa mga maanomalyang flood control projects at maaaring naging sanhi ng korapsiyon; pangatlo, wala po siyang ‘Mary Grace Piattos’,” Castro said.

(The president, first of all, did not steal money; second, he was the one who ordered investigations into anomalous flood control projects that may have caused corruption; third, he does not have a “Mary Grace Piattos.”)

Castro was referring to what she described as the “Mary Grace Piattos” issue linked to Duterte, in which receipts were allegedly issued to questionable beneficiaries with names that did not appear in Philippine identification systems.

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