Camille Naredo

Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Duterte outlines her priorities, including governance reforms, public service continuity, and national development. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP SARA DUTERTE

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177745369283220260218-vp-sara-duterte-presidency-MT7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s impeachment defense team called the House Justice panel&#x27;s probable cause finding as &quot;not unexpected.&quot;</p><p>The House Committee on Justice on Wednesday unanimously voted that there is probable cause in the impeachment complaints against the vice president.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/29/house-finds-probable-cause-duterte-impeachment-now-up-to-plenary-1618">READ: Sara Duterte impeachment now up to House plenary after panel finds probable cause</a></div><p>It also consolidated the complaints filed against the second in command.</p><p>&quot;The finding of probable cause by the House Committee on Justice was not unexpected, given the direction the proceedings had taken,&quot; Duterte&#x27;s defense team said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.</p><p>The team added they &quot;respectfully maintain that the proceedings before the Committee departed from the constitutional design.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Instead of confining itself to the verified complaints and their attachments, the process expanded into matters that properly belong to a full trial,&quot; it noted.</p><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong>&#x27;POLITICAL BLACKMAIL?&#x27;</strong></div><p>In the middle of the House impeachment hearing, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo &quot;Pulong&quot; Duterte -- the vice president&#x27;s brother -- released a statement claiming that congressmen were &quot;threatened&quot; to vote in favor of impeachment if they do not want their districts to be stripped of funds in the national budget.</p><p>&quot;Nagtatawag na daw ang mga staff ni Charise sa mga chief of staff ng mga congressman na bumoto para sa impeachment kung hindi ay tatanggalin ang buong GAA ng kanilang distrito,&quot; he claimed, alluding to a high-level congressman.</p><p>&quot;Ibig sabihin, lahat kasama yung mga pondo para sa patubig, paaralan, tulay, kalsada at iba pang kailangan lalo sa mga probinsyang hirap na hirap. Bukod dito, pati daw pondo para sana sa mga social services, walang ibibigay,&quot; he added.</p><p>&quot;What we are seeing now under the bangag leadership is not politics as usual—this is outright coercion,&quot; the lawmaker noted.</p><p>The Davao congressman called it &quot;political blackmail&quot; if House lawmakers were indeed intimidated into following the supposed &quot;impeachment line.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/29/nbi-duterte-threat-marcos-impeachment-hearing-1315">READ: NBI following leads on alleged ‘assassin’ in Duterte threat vs Marcos</a></div><p>&quot;Kung tinuod man nga ginapanghadlok ang mga congressman nga tanggalan og pondo ang ilang distrito kung dili sila musunod sa impeachment line, klaro kaayo—dili na ni demokrasya. Kini usa ka political blackmail,&quot; he said in the vernacular.</p><p>(Kung totoo man na tinatakot ang mga congressman na tatanggalan ng pondo ang ilang distrito kung hindi sila susunod sa impeachment line, malinaw na malinaw - hindi na ito demokrasya. Isa na itong political blackmail.)</p><p>He further stressed that the national budget belongs to the people and should not be used as a weapon for ambitions of those in leadership.</p><p>&quot;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,&quot; the older Duterte said.</p><p>&quot;Klaro na karon kung unsa gyud ni—dili ni laban para sa hustisya. Laban ni para sa kontrol,&quot; he added.</p><p>(Malinaw na ngayon kung ano talaga ito, hindi ito laban para sa hustisya. Laban ito para sa kontrol.)</p><p>Duterte emphasized that they &quot;will stand our ground—not for politics—but for the Filipino people who entrusted us with their voice.&quot;</p><p>He further urged the public to be vigilant on the issue as they may be held hostages by politics should the funds for their district be used as a &quot;bargaining chip.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Hindi masusukat ang hirap na dinadanas ng bawat Pilipino ngayun para lang makapag bayad ng buwis at may ma i-ambag sa bayan, ngunit klaro ngayon na itong buwis na ito ay siya ring ginagamit ng bangag administration na pang gigipit sa ating mga Pilipino,&quot; he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense team called the House Justice panel’s probable cause finding as “not unexpected.”</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense team called the House Justice panel’s probable cause finding as “not unexpected.”

Sara Duterte impeach defense team calls House panel probable cause finding 'not unexpected'

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Sara Duterte impeach defense team calls House panel probable cause finding 'not unexpected'

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 29, 2026 05:09 PM PHT

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Updated April 29, 2026 05:36 PM PHT

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Sara Duterte

impeachment

House of Representatives

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