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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Mindanao devider Rep. Duterte says colleagues pressured to back VP Sara impeachment

Rep. Duterte says colleagues pressured to back VP Sara impeachment

Published Apr 29, 2026 01:41 pm
Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte alleged that staff linked to a lawmaker was pressuring House members to support an impeachment move against his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, April 29, Rep. Duterte claimed that Charise was contacting the chiefs of staff of House members and warning that their district funds in the General Appropriations Act would be cut if they did not support the impeachment.
The lawmaker said the supposed threat against House members covered funding for irrigation systems, schools, bridges, roads, and other infrastructure projects, particularly in provinces facing economic hardship.
Rep. Duterte also claimed that even funds intended for social services would not be released. He added that the public was being punished in what he described as a desperate attempt to eliminate a political opponent.
"What we are seeing now under this administration is not politics as usual, this is outright coercion," Rep. Duterte said. "If it is true that congressmen are being threatened with such removal of funding for their districts, then it is clear, this is no longer democracy."
Rep. Duterte described the alleged pressure as "political blackmail," arguing that the national budget should not be used to compel elected representatives to follow a particular political line. District funds, he said, are meant for the public and not for the discretion of a few leaders.
"If leadership is confident in its case, then let the evidence speak, not threats, not pressure, and certainly not the hostage-taking of public funds," the lawmaker said, adding that the issue was about control rather than justice.
He said he and his allies would stand their ground and urged the public to monitor the situation. Rep. Duterte criticized the use of taxpayers' money as leverage, saying Filipinos should not suffer from political maneuvering.
Meanwhile, Rep. Duterte criticized Malacanang’s clarification on the reported detention of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.
Rep. Duterte accused the administration of using semantics to deflect attention from the issue.
He mocked the explanation that Co was not "technically arrested" by authorities in the Czech Republic, calling it a "flexible" narrative by the administration. Under such reasoning, he said, being caught might no longer be considered an arrest, and detention could mean another.
Rep. Duterte said the matter went beyond word choice, calling it an attempt to cover up and shift public attention away from larger concerns, including alleged corruption. He added that the public should not be misled by what he described as "creative writing" in official explanations.

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Davao City Vice President Sara Duterte Rep. Paolo Duterte Impeachment
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