PROMINENT government opponents in the Hourse of Representatives filed a bid today to impeach Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte.

The vice-president is facing a legal storm over a death threat she made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, his wife Louise and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Martin Romualdez, the alleged misuse of government funds by her office and other criminal accusations.

The impeachment bid accuses Ms Duterte of violating the country’s constitution, massive corruption and other “high crimes,” including the death threats.

The complaint said the threats made by the vice-president showed the “extent of respondent’s mental incapacity, her depravity and lack of mental fitness to continue holding the high office of vice-president of the Philippines.” 

Ms Duterte was also accused in the complaint of having unexplained wealth and of allowing extra-judicial killings of drug suspects begun by her father, a former mayor of southern Davao City, when she held that position in the past.

The vice-president said in an online news conference on November 23 that she had taken out the contract if she were killed, a threat she warned was not a joke.

She later said she was not threatening him but was expressing concern for her own safety.