Vice President Sara Duterte said she has no plans to resign as the Senate continues to hear her impeachment trial.
Duterte said stepping down would betray the millions of Filipinos who elected her to the country’s second-highest office in 2022.
“Hindi ako magreresign dahil ‘yun ay parang betrayal sa 32.2 million na mga kababayan natin na bumoto sa akin,” Duterte said in an interview posted on the Padayon & Updates Facebook page.
Duterte was elected vice president with a record-breaking 32,208,417 votes in 2022, the highest vote total ever received by a vice presidential candidate in the Philippines, accounting for more than 61% of all votes cast.
If Duterte resigns, the vice presidency would become vacant. Under the Constitution, the president must nominate a replacement from the Senate or the House of Representatives, subject to confirmation by a majority vote of both chambers of Congress voting separately.
Duterte is on trial over allegations involving the use of confidential and intelligence funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, corruption, betrayal of public trust and threats against President Bongbong Marcos and other government officials. She has denied all allegations and maintains that the impeachment case is politically motivated.
The Senate is convened as an impeachment court to try the charges against her. Conviction requires the votes of at least 16 of the chamber’s 24 senators and would result in her removal from office and possible disqualification from holding public office.
