The Philippine House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted on Monday, May 11th, to impeach the current Vice President of the Philippines, Sara Duterte. The case will be sent to the Senate for trial, potentially jeopardizing her hopes of running for president in 2028.
Sara is the daughter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Her father faced an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his “war on drugs” during his presidency, accused of committing “crimes against humanity,” and was extradited to The Hague by the Philippine government on March 11, 2025.
On May 11th, dozens of protesters gathered outside the parliament building, holding banners that read “Impeach Sara immediately” and chanting slogans demanding her resignation.
The complaints against Sara were jointly filed by activists, religious groups, and lawyers, alleging misuse of public funds, accumulation of unexplained wealth, and threats to the lives of current Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his wife, as well as a former Speaker of the House. Sara has denied these accusations.
The impeachment received support from 257 members of the House of Representatives, easily surpassing the one-third threshold required, with 25 members opposed and 9 abstaining. The total statutory seats in the Philippine House of Representatives currently stand at 318.
Representative Bienvenido Abante, who co-signed the impeachment, stated that this process is about conscience, responsibility, and the future of the nation, advocating for a fair, just, and rule of law-based trial for the Filipino people.
Following the vote, Representative Jose Manuel Diokno mentioned, “We have seen solid evidence,” and it’s time to hold her accountable.
With Marcos limited by the Philippine Constitution to only one presidential term, the 47-year-old Sara was considered a top contender to succeed her former ally, President Marcos Jr., in 2028.
However, the Senate’s decision to hold a trial with senators as jurors could result in Sara being removed from office and barred from future political candidacy if found guilty, effectively ending her chances of running for president in 2028. In 2025, the House of Representatives also voted to impeach Sara, but it was rejected by the Supreme Court due to procedural issues.
Meanwhile, a dramatic event unfolded in the Senate as senators passed a motion to remove the Senate President, replacing him with Alan Peter Cayetano, a supporter of the Duterte family.
This change in Senate leadership means that Cayetano, a former running mate of Sara’s father, will preside over her impeachment trial, offering a lifeline to Sara.
In a statement, Sara’s legal team expressed readiness to defend the Vice President in the Senate impeachment court, stating that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution.
Sara represents the highest-ranking official to face impeachment in the Philippines since former President Joseph Estrada in 2000. Estrada’s trial was halted when prosecutors collectively withdrew, but he resigned from the presidency a few days later.
In Philippine history, three high officials, including Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Commission on Elections Chairperson Andres Bautista, resigned before their trials began. Former Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2011 became the only person convicted in an impeachment trial.
Reference taken from Reuters.