Impeachment keeps accountability alive

The House Justice Committee says there is probable cause to advance the impeachment complaint against Vice-President Sara Duterte. This paves the way for plenary voting and eventual transmission to the Senate for a trial.

Four days of public proceedings led to this determination, with 53 committee members unanimously voting that there exists probable cause.

The charges stem from, among others, the Vice-President’s unaccounted-for use of confidential funds and the use of fake names as supposed recipients of funds, as well as unexplained movements in her bank account. There was also that video where she threatened the lives of the President, First Lady, and the then-House Speaker.

The corruption issues raised are unconscionable.

For example, alleged ex-bagman of the Duterte family, Ramil Madriaga, testified that he had personally helped dispose of the OVP’s P125 million in confidential funds in less than 24 hours. Among others, he said he personally delivered — supposedly under the orders of VP Sara herself — four large duffel bags containing P30-35 million each to a political operator in Laguna, a comedy bar frequented by San Sebastian College, and the parking lot of the Office of the Ombudsman which at the time was helmed by Duterte appointee Samuel Martires.

Anti-Money Laundering Council executive director Ronel Buenaventura also revealed that P6.7 billion in large and suspicious transactions flowed to Duterte and her husband Mans Carpio’s accounts from 2006 to 2025 and did not match the amounts that Duterte declared in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth or SALNs.

In addition to these, the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the videos where the threats were made were authentic.

The Vice-President was a no-show in all the hearings even as she freely aired her sentiments elsewhere. She claimed — without showing evidence to refute the allegations — these are all fabrications meant to persecute her politically.

But these are not merely political issues. The grave and brazen acts described by the resource persons describe deep flaws in governance. Failure in governance carries economic consequences, which are deeply personal to every Filipino.

Such consequences are felt most acutely by citizens grappling with cost-of-living difficulties, especially now when the war in the Middle East magnifies the uncertainty.

According to the Consumer Expectations Survey run by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas during the first quarter of 2026, consumer sentiments for the second quarter are also less upbeat, dropping from 3.6% to 1.8%. It is important to note that consumers have listed graft and corruption in the government, higher inflation, and ineffective government policies and programs as the reasons behind this outlook.

Meanwhile, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) national survey conducted from March 24 to 31 found that 50% of adult Filipinos say their quality-of-life got worse, compared to 12 months ago. Alarmingly, this was the highest percentage since 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indeed, corruption is an economic issue.

When public funds are misused or hidden through mechanisms like confidential spending, there is less money for essential services like health, education, and even justice. It harms the poor and the vulnerable the most and worsens inequality in the country.

Corruption undermines our country’s ability to respond to emergencies, laid bare in the flood control scandal and how a systemic kickback scheme led to subpar flooding infrastructure nationwide. In turn, this yielded suffering, displacement, and even deaths that could have been prevented.

Corruption disempowers people and undermines citizens’ trust and confidence in their leaders and institutions. This increases the chances of social unrest and conflict.

As a people and as a country, we need to consciously work toward inclusive governance. It is about making sure services are fair, policies respond to people’s needs, and institutions act with integrity. It requires managing public funds in a way that actually eases people’s economic burdens, not make them worse.

Inclusive governance is an economic necessity.

When public funds meant for services are misused, when accountability is weak, and when policies fail to respond to real needs, ordinary citizens pay the price through higher costs, fewer employment opportunities, and lessened trust in institutions.

The coming days will reveal whether our lawmakers truly have the best interests of the people at heart. What happens in the impeachment case will reveal how much they truly acknowledge the importance of governance in society.

Certainly, there is a clamor for accountability: an October 2025 SWS survey showed that 74% of Filipinos want stiffer penalties against corrupt government officials, while 71% want them to face cases. The numbers show that this is not about prioritizing a political proceeding first over gut issues, but rather the embodiment of that public will to achieve justice for what has been taken from them.

When standards of governance are not met, ordinary citizens bear the cost through missed opportunities, higher costs, fewer services, and growing uncertainty.

At a time of heightened government distrust, the impeachment proceedings are a good way of reminding FIlipinos that there is still a way to exact accountability from public officials — even those who enjoyed the popular vote and who may feel they could get away with anything.

Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the president of the Stratbase ADR Institute.