The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte in the Philippines will not be halted, the prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday, questioning why the Senate issued subpoenas only to swiftly refer the case back to the House of Representatives.
Back in early February, the House of Representatives in the Philippines overwhelmingly supported the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte with 215 out of 306 members voting in favor, citing betrayal of public trust, the commission of high crimes. The case was then sent to the Senate for trial.
On Tuesday, the Senate returned the case to the House, demanding proof of the legality of the impeachment process. Critics believe this move is an attempt to obstruct the impeachment proceedings.
The decision has sparked widespread public discontent, including among legal professionals and church groups, who see it as a violation of the constitution, arguing that the Senate is shirking its duty to hold public officials accountable.
Gerville Luistro, a member of the impeachment prosecution team and a member of the House of Representatives, stated that the House has fulfilled its duty and that the Senate issuing a subpoena to Sara Duterte means that the Senate now has jurisdiction over the case.
Luistro expressed at a press conference, “No one can stop this case now,” adding that the prosecution’s charges are strong and the evidence is clear. “We believe that the charges are strict and fully comply with constitutional requirements.”
The impeachment charges against the Vice President include allegations of conspiring to assassinate the President, widespread corruption, and failure to strongly condemn China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea against the Philippines.
Sara Duterte maintains that the impeachment is politically motivated and denies any wrongdoing.
Sara Duterte is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte. In the 2022 elections, she allied with current President Marcos and won the election with the combined influence of the two powerful families.
The Marcos administration has strengthened defense cooperation with the United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines. Former President Rodrigo Duterte had maintained close relations with China and Russia during his term, which ended in 2022.
Regarding the Senate’s actions, Imee Marcos, the current President’s sister and a senator, defended the Senate’s decision as reasonable, calling the impeachment a political maneuver to prevent Sara Duterte from running in the 2028 presidential election.
On Wednesday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Senate in the rain, holding banners demanding accountability from Sara Duterte and calling the senators “cowards” and “traitors.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, a prominent church group, criticized the decision as a betrayal of public trust. The chairman of the conference urged for unhindered adherence to constitutional procedures, stating, “If there is nothing to hide, then there is nothing to fear.”
In the Philippine parliamentary process, after the House of Representatives passes an impeachment case, it is forwarded to the Senate. The Senate then establishes an impeachment court with 23 senators serving as jurors to conduct the trial. If the verdict is not ‘not guilty’, the Vice President will be removed from office, and Sara Duterte could face lifelong deprivation of political rights.
President Marcos has consistently distanced himself from the impeachment case. In February, Marcos himself stated that he does not support impeaching Sara Duterte, emphasizing that the President has no authority to interfere with the actions of Congress.
On Wednesday, his office stated that the President is busy with work and will not focus on the trial. Reuters did not receive any response from Sara Duterte’s office regarding requests for comments.
(This article was adapted from reports by Reuters)