In total, four impeachment complaints had been filed against the vice president.
The three complaints filed in 2024 did not progress, but the fourth complaint, endorsed
by House members, violated the one-year ban because the earlier complaints had
already been filed279. Despite this, the court clarified that it was not absolving Duterte of
the charges against her, and that any new impeachment complaint could only be filed
starting February 6, 2026280.
Throughout 2025, beyond the impeachment of Sara Duterte and the arrest of Rodrigo
Duterte—which have dominated Philippine political discourse—there was also a feud
within the Marcos family. Marcos Jr.’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos, broke with him and
accused him of drug use281. According to media reports, this rift appears linked to
the collapse of the Marcos-Duterte alliance282, with Imee reportedly siding with the Duterte
family. However, her precise political motivations remain unclear283.
B. Key Digital Rights Situations in 2025
During the 2025 midterm elections, disinformation narratives that went viral on social
media largely centered on the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest of Rodrigo Duterte
and the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. At the start of the official campaign
period on February 11, 2025, impeachment-related narratives about the vice president
dominated social media. However, these were soon overtaken in March 2025 by narratives
surrounding her father’s arrest, which remained the most prominent until election day.
Many of these narratives also negatively targeted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Key disinformation themes around Sara Duterte’s impeachment included claims that
the Supreme Court had issued a ruling declaring the impeachment void and that
the proceedings were unconstitutional. Disinformation about the elder Duterte highlighted
false assertions that the ICC lacked jurisdiction over the case because the Philippines
withdrew from the Court in 2019, that the ICC had already dismissed the case, or that
Duterte had been abducted284.
Ibid.
“SC House Impeachment Complaint vs VP Duterte Barred by 1-Year Rule: Due Process or Fairness Applies
During All Stages of Impeachment Process.” The Supreme Court of the Philippines, 25 July 2025, sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-house-impeachment-complaint-vs-vp-duterte-barred-by-1-year-rule-due-process-or-fairness-applies-during-all-stages-of-impeachment-process.
281.
Robles, Raissa. “Marcos Family Feud: Philippine President ‘Microdoses’ Cocaine, Sister Claims.” South China Morning Post, 18 Nov. 2025, www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3333262/marcos-family-feud-philippine-president-microdoses-cocaine-sister-claims.
282.
Dela Peña, Kurt. “Timeline: The Sibling Rivalry of Bongbong and Imee Marcos.” Inquirer.net, 18 Nov. 2025,
newsinfo.inquirer.net/2142248/timeline-the-sibling-rivalry-of-bongbong-and-imee-marcos.
283.
See, Aie Balagtas. “Maros vs. Marcos: The New Front in Philippine Politics.” The New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/world/asia/bongbong-imee-marcos-feud.html.
284.
“Information Disorders in the Philippine Elections Getting More Complex.” DigitalReach, 30 June 2025,
digitalreach.asia/news/analysis/information-disorders-in-the-philippine-elections-getting-more-complex.
279.
280.
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