Palace approves VP Sara Duterte's overseas travel amid impeachment trial

Vice President Sara Duterte has left the Philippines for an overseas trip, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) announced on Monday (July 21, 2026), the eighth day of the impeachment trial against her.

Malacañang has granted Duterte's travel authority from July 16 to 31, according to Palace press officer Claire Castro.

The Vice President's itinerary includes Germany, Qatar, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. She is currently in The Hague, the Netherlands, where her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is currently detained at the International Criminal Court.

According to a post on the Facebook page of the OVP, "The trip includes a stop in Qatar, participation in a forum and a Filipino community (FilCom) event in the United Kingdom, as well as in The Netherlands. These activities are intended to engage with overseas Filipinos and advance the Philippines’ interests abroad."

The Vice President's itinerary includes both official foreign travel and personal engagements and the no government funds will be used for her trip. "The Office of the Vice President (OVP) remains fully prepared and operational with its disaster response mechanisms in place in times of emergencies. The OVP will also continue the implementation of its programs and projects, carried out through its ten satellite offices nationwide," it added. The Senate is actively sitting as an impeachment court for the case against the Vice President. The impeachment trial began on July 6 and on July 21, the Senate issued subpoenas for bank, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and tax records pertaining to Duterte and associated entities to examine claims of unexplained wealth. READ: Senate impeachment court orders release of VP Sara Duterte's bank and tax records

The House of Representatives on May 11, 2026 voted overwhelmingly (257–25) to adopt four Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President, transmitting the case to the Senate for trial.

Articles of Impeachment:

Article I: Alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds across the Office of the Vice President (₱500M) and the Department of Education (₱112.5M).

Article II: Alleged unexplained wealth, discrepancies in Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) from 2022 to 2024, and failure to divest from business interests.

Article III: Alleged procurement irregularities and bribery during her tenure at the Department of Education.

Article IV: Alleged grave threats and inciting to sedition, stemming from public comments involving threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

For the latest stories about the VP Impeachment Trail, visit: Impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte

-Paraluman News