Thousands rally for Sara Duterte’s impeachment as Trillanes claims 40,000 attended, but police report only 4,000

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Manila on Friday, calling for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. The demonstrators, carrying placards and chanting “Impeach! Impeach Sara now!” gathered in the capital to demand action from Congress.

Authorities estimated that around 4,000 protesters participated in the rally, with 7,400 riot police deployed to maintain order. The demonstration follows a larger rally earlier this month by a conservative religious sect opposing the impeachment efforts.

Duterte is facing three impeachment complaints, alleging misconduct and the misuse of government funds during her tenure as education secretary under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration. However, with Congress set to adjourn next week ahead of the May midterm elections, lawmakers have yet to act on the complaints.

House Representative Percival Cendana, a supporter of one of the impeachment complaints, urged his colleagues to move swiftly, warning that inaction would “condone impunity, abuse of power, and harassment.” For the impeachment to progress, it must be endorsed by at least a third of House members before advancing to the Senate, where a two-thirds vote is required for removal from office.

Despite the calls for Duterte’s removal, a recent pro-Duterte rally, which reportedly gathered around 1.5 million attendees, has raised doubts about Congress’s willingness to move forward with the impeachment process before the elections. The House Secretary General indicated that the body is awaiting a potential fourth complaint before referring the matter to the Speaker.

Duterte, who has been estranged from Marcos Jr. since last year, has denied the allegations against her, calling them politically motivated. Their rift has been marked by heated exchanges, with Duterte previously making threats against the president, the first lady, and the House Speaker. She also admitted in October that she sometimes imagines “beheading” Marcos due to their “toxic” relationship.

Despite their past alliance in the 2022 national elections under the banner of unity, tensions between the two have escalated. Marcos has dismissed the impeachment efforts as a mere “storm in a teacup,” warning that it could divert Congress from its legislative duties.

Meanwhile, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a vocal Duterte critic, claimed on Facebook that the actual turnout for the protest was much higher than official estimates. “Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng mga dumalo sa ating IMPEACH SARA rally kaninang umaga. We reached an estimated crowd size of 40k. Mas lalakihan pa natin sa susunod hanggang sa marinig tayo ng Kongreso para itransmit na ang impeachment sa Senado,” he wrote, signaling continued pressure on lawmakers to act.