Description: Philippines Vice – President Sara Duterte has been impeached by the House of Representatives after various concerns were raised against her. The political differences with the current Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. weren’t a secret, but she has been further accused of large – scale corruption that amounted to almost $10 million and ultimately not taking a stronger stance on China’s aggression in the disputed South China Sea. The impeachment was signed by over 215 legislators from the House of Representatives and mostly focused on Duterte’s threats to assassinate the current Philippine President as a counter measure in case her life was threatened. She also stated that Philippine’s problem with China in the South China Sea was a pure fiasco.
Impact: The Philippines are crucial US ally in the Indo – Pacific region, which represents a crucial geopolitical theater. Internal political disputes such as the impeachment of Vice President Duterte could significantly destabilize the fragile socio – economic landscape of the country and weaken the country’s position on a larger geopolitical scale. Duterte’s stance on China, as well as the large – scale corruption charges could see her getting impeached which could cause civil disruptions in the country as she also has a large number of supporters. The Philippine government should efficiently handle the problem in order to prevent political destabilization on a larger scale, which could see the country’s regional position significantly weakened. China could also use the current situation to further inflict tensions and attempt to influence the outcome of the impeachment.