Mounting corruption scandals and an impeachment push have prompted calls for the Philippine president and vice-president to resign, with legal experts saying a little-known constitutional clause provides for a snap election to be called if the roles are vacated at the same time.
A growing chorus from civil society groups and politicians is urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio to step down, with Marcos accused by a political veteran of playing a leading role in the multibillion-peso flood-control corruption scandal and Duterte-Carpio continuing to face impeachment calls for purportedly misusing confidential funds and threatening senior officials.
Bayan, or Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, which has long criticised corruption and political dynasties in the Philippines, and other left-leaning groups have been vocal in calling for the two leaders to resign. Bayan chair Teodoro Casino accused the two leaders and others of being “involved in large-scale and rampant corruption” in a social media post on November 17.
Earlier this month, Zaldy Co – a former senior member of the House of Representatives and once a close political ally of Marcos – accused the president of being “the mastermind” of the flood-control scams.
Sergio Ortiz-Luis, president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), called on Marcos to address Co’s accusation instead of dismissing it as fake news in a radio interview last week.
Urging the president to deal with the country’s “largest corruption scandal” ever, Ortiz-Luis said: “From the very start … we know what the people want – they would like to see the mastermind [punished].”
