Philippine lawmakers support the impeachment of VP Sara Duterte in anticipation of a potential Senate trial

Philippine lawmakers have sanctioned the impeachment of VP Sara Duterte, setting the stage for a trial that may jeopardize her aspirations for 2028.

On Monday, lawmakers in the Philippines cast a decisive vote in favor of impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte, paving the way for a Senate trial that may threaten her aspirations for the presidency in 2028.

Last month, a House justice committee determined there was probable cause for impeachment after a petition was submitted by activists. The petition accused Duterte of misusing public funds, amassing unexplained wealth, and allegedly threatening the lives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and a former House speaker.

The petition garnered support from 255 of the 318 lawmakers, exceeding the constitutional one-third threshold necessary to move forward with the impeachment process.

As President Marcos is constitutionally prohibited from pursuing another term, Duterte is widely viewed as a prominent candidate to succeed him in the 2028 presidential election. Political observers suggest that the impeachment proceedings may considerably diminish her prospects.

Duterte has refuted all allegations made against her, while her legal team has labeled the impeachment effort as flawed and referred to it as a “fishing expedition.”

According to Philippine law, the Senate is anticipated to hold an impeachment trial, with senators acting as jurors. If found guilty, Duterte may face removal from his position and be prohibited from holding any public office in the future.

The impeachment signifies a recent political challenge for the prominent Duterte family, coinciding with an escalating conflict between Sara Duterte and President Marcos.

Her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is currently under increasing legal scrutiny as he anticipates proceedings at the International Criminal Court regarding his contentious anti-drug campaign, which resulted in thousands of fatalities during his presidency from 2016 to 2022.

On Monday, a political drama unfolded in the Senate as lawmakers voted to remove the chamber’s president, opting to replace him with Alan Peter Cayetano, a longstanding ally of the Duterte family.

The change in leadership may hold considerable importance if the impeachment trial moves forward, as Cayetano, a former running mate of Rodrigo Duterte, would oversee the Senate proceedings.