Updated

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has told proponents to stop trying to impeach the vice president because she hasn't committed any "overt acts" that could be grounds for her ouster.

Vice President Leni Robredo has criticized Duterte's bloody antidrug crackdown and other policies, but the president says she has the right to free speech and removing her from office will damage the country.

Philippine presidents and vice presidents are elected separately and often come from rival political parties like Duterte, who got more than 16 million votes, and Robredo, a former human rights lawyer who won more than 14 million votes, in last year's election.