Southeast Asia in February 2026: the most important developments in politics
Southeast Asian politics in February 2026 centered on the Philippines, where Vice President Sara Duterte said she will seek the presidency in 2028 while facing impeachment bids. A petition asked the Supreme Court to impeach her, after a ruling that an earlier attempt had failed because of missed deadlines. By 23 February an impeachment complaint against her had been sent to a House justice panel, and the National Unity Party said it was unlikely to support the attempt.
Her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was the subject of proceedings at the International Criminal Court over killings in his drug war. Prosecutors told the court he was in control of the campaign, while his defense lawyers said allegations of a systematic plan to kill were unfounded. The Palace insisted that his transfer to the court was lawful amid claims that he had been kidnapped, and on 25 February the court allowed him to skip a detention hearing.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also faced impeachment talk. A House panel found a second complaint insubstantial on 4 February, and by 10 February Congress had dismissed the complaints against him. The Palace said 16 contractors linked to the flood control scandal will be blacklisted, former public works chief Manuel Bonoan denied fleeing the country and said he will face a Senate probe. Relations with China were tense: China barred Philippine local officials over resolutions on the Kalayaan Island Group and banned the crew of the Kalayaan 16 from a disputed shoal, while the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the two sides agreed to keep talking through diplomatic channels.
In Thailand, nationalist rhetoric rose ahead of the election, and by 25 February the election body had certified most results. Pheu Thai announced support for the election-winning party, a step expected to ease the formation of a coalition. Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara rebutted Cambodian claims on the border, and Cambodia asked France for historical evidence to help settle the dispute. Elsewhere, Xi Jinping called on Vietnam to deepen cooperation and Sergey Lavrov held talks in Hanoi.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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