Manila: The Philippine Senate, acting as an impeachment court, has issued summons to Vice President Sara Duterte, state news agency PNA reported. She has been given a non-extendible period of 10 days to respond to the complaint against her.

According to Anadolu Agency, Senate President and presiding officer Francis 'Chiz' Escudero announced the issuance of the summons after the chamber voted 18-5 to return the complaint to the House of Representatives for clarification of its constitutionality. Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was impeached on February 5 when more than two-thirds of the members of the lower house of parliament signed a petition for her removal.

Duterte faces accusations of fund misuse during her tenure as the head of the country's Education Department. The petition emerged amid a public feud in which Duterte accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of wanting her eliminated, claiming he views her as the "biggest threat" to his reelection aspirations in 2028.

Marcos and Duterte initially ran as allies in the 2022 elections, securing a six-year term together. However, their partnership has since deteriorated, with Duterte resigning last June from Marcos' Cabinet, where she served as education secretary. Additionally, Duterte was charged by the state with incitement to sedition on February 12.