Sara faces impeachment

The House of Representatives voted to send articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate just before the congressional session ended, despite opposition from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC).

The vote was approved by 215 lawmakers, more than one-third of the House’s membership. The charges against Duterte, including alleged corruption and involvement in a plot to assassinate Marcos, were not revealed, but three complaints were filed last month accusing her of misuse of public funds and plotting the assassination.

The impeachment now moves to the Senate, where two-thirds of the 24 senators must vote in favor for it to be confirmed. A trial date has not yet been set.

The timing of the impeachment — just before the official start of campaigning for the 2028 presidential race — adds political weight to the proceedings.

Supporters of Duterte see the move as an effort to discredit her ahead of the next presidential elections.

The relationship between Duterte and Marcos has soured, with serious allegations, including a reported death threat against Marcos, which is under investigation.

Despite this, Marcos had previously urged Congress to avoid pursuing the impeachment, calling it a “storm in a teacup” that would distract from the legislature’s priorities.

However, his office later stated that the executive branch would “not interfere” with the impeachment process.

The impeachment followed a caucus of majority coalition lawmakers early Wednesday, just hours before Congress adjourned for a three-month break to pave the way for the election season.

Among the signatories of the complaint were House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Presidential son Rep. Sandro Marcos, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, and Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe. The House also appointed a team of prosecutors to represent the case during the impeachment trial, including Representatives Gerville Luistro, Romeo Acop and Rodge Gutierrez.

Romualdez, a key figure in the impeachment process, asserted that the VP’s impeachment sends a message that no public official is above the law, despite Duterte accusing him of orchestrating the investigation that exposed alleged irregularities in her use of confidential funds.

The fourth complaint against Duterte cited impeachable offenses, including graft, corruption, culpable violation of the constitution for failing to fully disclose assets, sedition and grave threat for allegedly plotting to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Romualdez.

Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, the Vice President’s older brother, condemned the impeachment as politically motivated, accusing lawmakers of fabricating accusations against her. He expressed outrage over the “sinister maneuvering” to hastily collect signatures and move the impeachment forward.

He warned that the Marcos administration would face the consequences of this action, pointing to the INC’s nationwide protest in January as a sign of growing discontent.

Rep. Duterte stressed that this impeachment would not only harm Vice President Duterte but also provoke a political storm that could undermine the Marcos administration.

The INC, which organized the January protest rally, has yet to release a statement regarding the impeachment. Many of the lawmakers pushing for impeachment are up for reelection, and their actions could risk backlash from the conservative religious group, which has a history of voting as a bloc.

Former Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo also criticized the impeachment, claiming it was a politically motivated attempt to harm Duterte’s reputation ahead of the 2028 presidential race.

Panelo predicted that the impeachment would succeed in Congress but warned that it would only strengthen Duterte’s support among the public, arguing that the move would backfire and lead to political backlash.

In the Senate, Duterte’s allies will play a crucial role in the outcome of the impeachment trial. Known supporters include Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Bong Go, Robin Padilla and Imee Marcos.

Senators Cynthia and Mark Villar, both of whom have close ties to the Duterte family, are also seen as potential allies, though Cynthia is term-limited and running for a House seat. Other allies include Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano, who both have strong connections to former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and his half-brother, Senator JV Ejercito, have both criticized the impeachment, calling it a divisive and politically motivated move that risks harming the country’s stability.

Estrada emphasized that impeachment would only create further division and distract from pressing issues.

Ejercito added that the public and international communities may perceive the rift between the country’s top officials as a sign of political instability, which could hurt investor confidence in the Philippines.

The impeachment process echoes past political turmoil in the Philippines, such as the 2012 removal of Chief Justice Renato Corona and the 2001 resignation of President Joseph Estrada.

Both events were marked by intense public debate on issues of corruption, transparency, and accountability, and both deepened political polarization.

While the impeachments were seen by some as necessary steps for reform, they also highlighted the challenges of holding powerful figures accountable in a highly divided political landscape.