Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. railed against China as he started campaigning for his Senate candidates, making the maritime dispute with Beijing a central issue in the high-stakes midterm election in May.

The lower house in the Philippines impeached Vice President Sara Duterte Wednesday, accusing her of a wide range of crimes that included plotting to assassinate the president, large-scale corruption and failing to strongly denounce China’s aggressive actions against Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea.

The Philippine lower house on Wednesday impeached Vice President Sara Duterte, the daughter of the country's firebrand former leader, setting the stage for a rare, high-profile trial in the Senate.

The ex-ally of President Marcos told reporters that her lawyers were preparing for a legal battle in the Senate.

The Philippines midterm elections have kicked off amid deep political divisions, fueled by the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. The move threatens her political future and intensifies the rift with

The Philippine House of Representatives on Wednesday impeached Vice President Sara Duterte for alleged violations of the constitution and corruption, in what her family described as political persecution.

The development will escalate the quarrel between two of the country's most powerful families. View on euronews