Malacañang has approved Vice President Sara Duterte's travel to the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom from April 23 to May 15, 2026, while on leave at no cost to the government. The approval comes as lawmakers criticize her for skipping impeachment hearings. The authorization was issued in a letter dated April 22 by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
Malacañang has authorized Vice President Sara Duterte to visit the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom from April 23 to May 15, 2026, "while on leave of absence at no cost to the government," according to a letter dated April 22 and signed by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto that circulated online.
The letter states that it "supersedes travel authority issued in your favor, if any, for your personal trips to the aforementioned countries on 23 April – 14 May 2026."
On the same day the travel authority surfaced, House justice committee chairperson and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro criticized Duterte for skipping the impeachment hearings and issuing press releases and social media content instead of providing testimony under oath. Luistro accused the vice president of "ghosting" and "gaslighting" the committee while focusing on peripheral matters rather than core issues.
Duterte faces impeachment complaints alleging conspiracy to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, as well as failure to properly account for confidential funds allocated to her office, among other accusations.
