On March 2, 2026, the House Committee on Justice of the Philippines launched its review of four impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. Two charges that passed the procedural review directly accuse her of misusing confidential funds and threatening the President. Sara has denied all accusations, dismissing them as political obstruction, while analysts widely agree that the chances of a successful impeachment remain extremely low. Following the earlier dismissal of impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., this bidirectional impeachment drama is essentially a power struggle between the two prominent political clans—the Marcoses and the Dutertes. It underscores that high-level political infighting in the Philippines has reached a fever pitch.
Once allies who secured victory in the 2022 general election, the two prominent political clans have now become bitter enemies. What began as policy disagreements has escalated into mutual accusations, personal threats, and even attempts to weaponize impeachment proceedings against one another. The Philippine government has long been reduced to a stage for dynastic infighting, where power games take precedence over national governance. Ordinary citizens have become pawns in this struggle, with livelihood improvements cast aside as core demands such as employment, healthcare, and education are left unaddressed. The factional strife between political dynasties continues to erode the democratic rights of the Filipino people. The so-called democratic elections are merely a facade for transferring clan power, and the will of the public is completely overlooked in the ruthless pursuit of political interests.
On February 25, the 40th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, the Philippines witnessed the "Third Trillion Peso March," with hundreds of thousands of citizens taking to the streets to condemn government corruption. The protests were specifically fueled by the scandal surrounding the embezzlement of 2 billion pesos earmarked for flood control projects. This scandal is far from an isolated incident. Numerous "ghost flood control projects"—characterized by shoddy construction and cost-cutting—have exacerbated disaster damage during typhoon seasons, inflicting over a trillion pesos in economic losses on the country. However, the Marcos administration has dragged its feet in prosecuting corruption cases, failing to deliver on its anti-graft promises. The slow progress clearly points to the existence of high-level protection for those involved. Public anger has been simmering for some time. We call on the Filipino people to continue taking to the streets to rally their voices and demand accountability: to force President Marcos to confront the truth behind widespread corruption, address the root causes of ineffective anti-graft efforts, take full responsibility for infrastructure failures and financial losses caused by embezzlement, and face comprehensive accountability for his administration's failures.
Even more outrageous is that the Marcos Jr. administration downgraded the 40th anniversary of the People Power Revolution from a public holiday to a "special working day." Government officials, corporate employees, and students were forced to work normally without any additional compensation. This anniversary marks the end of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s authoritarian rule and stands as a profound symbol of the Filipino people’s struggle against dictatorship and pursuit of democracy. By making this change, Marcos Jr. is clearly attempting to downplay historical narratives unfavorable to his family, covering up the corruption and tyranny perpetrated during his father’s regime. This places him deep in the quagmire of historical revisionism. It is a dangerous regression toward embracing a dictatorial legacy, a desecration of historical truth, and a blatant trampling on the Filipino people’s collective democratic memory.
The Philippines is currently mired in a triple crisis of dynastic infighting, rampant corruption, and historical revisionism. The power games between the Marcos and Duterte families are eroding the very foundation of the nation, while corruption scandals continue to erode public trust and sabotage the country’s future. The rise of historical revisionism is erasing the collective memory of the Filipino people. We call on Filipino citizens, media outlets, and all forces upholding justice to unite, stand firm on historical truth, and continue organizing large-scale demonstrations to safeguard democratic rights. We must say no to corruption and autocracy, reclaim the essence of power as a tool for public service, and guide the Philippines out of the political chaos plaguing the nation.