Politics · Philippines Bureau
House panel may shelve bribery charges against VP Duterte
The House prosecution panel is considering dropping bribery allegations against Vice President Sara Duterte, according to public prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua. The chamber may instead focus on investigating the vice president's alleged unexplained wealth after completing its probe into her handling of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The House of Representatives prosecution panel is weighing whether to set aside bribery charges against Vice President Sara Duterte, public prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua announced Wednesday.
Chua indicated that legislators may prioritize other allegations against Duterte rather than pursue the bribery case at this stage. The House panel is expected to complete its inquiry into the vice president's alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds before determining its next course of action.
Should the panel proceed as indicated, the investigation into Duterte's alleged unexplained wealth would become the focus following the conclusion of the confidential funds inquiry. The decision reflects the panel's strategic approach to the mounting allegations facing the vice president.
The development comes amid an intensifying political dispute between Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., following the vice president's public statements in late October expressing openness to the administration's removal.
No further details on the timeline or specific reasons for potentially shelving the bribery case were immediately available.