Around 12 have passed since the country witnessed its most recent impeachment conviction — then-Chief Justice Renato Corona on 29 May 2012. Corona's high-profile ouster likewise came nearly 12 years on from the Philippines' first major impeachment proceedings: those of former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada.
Now, on 5 February 2025, Vice President Sara Duterte faces a similar fate as the House of Representatives has sent Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, setting the stage for another high-profile trial.
These impeachments — Joseph Estrada on 20 January 2001, Corona in 2012, and now Duterte — underscore the volatile nature of Philippine politics, driven by constantly shifting alliances in the House and ever-changing public sentiment. Is the 12-year gap between ousters coincidence, or does it hint at a cyclical power struggle playing out between ruling parties looking to consolidate power?
On Wednesday, Philippine lawmakers voted to transmit Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate, just a day before the congressional session was set to end. The measure secured at least 215 signatures — well above the constitutionally mandated one-third of the House membership.
Although specifics of the charges were not detailed on the House floor, the vote follows a trio of complaints filed last month accusing Duterte of “brazen misuse” of millions of dollars in public funds and even plotting the assassination of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“Having been filed by more than one-third of the membership of the House of Representatives, or a total of 215 members ... the motion is approved,” House Speaker Martin Romualdez told fellow lawmakers. Duterte’s political future now hinges on the Senate, where two-thirds of the 24 senators must vote to convict.
Duterte’s falling out with President Marcos marks a stark deterioration of their once-powerful “UniTeam” tandem, which had propelled both into office. The House Speakership, meanwhile, is held by Romualdez — a Lakas-CMD stalwart, close ally, and cousin to Marcos — further fueling speculation about internal rifts within the administration.
The Pulse Asia survey from 21 December reflects this political turbulence. The Vice President currently has a 50% approval rating, with 28% disapproval, 49% trust, and 27% no trust. In contrast, President Marcos posts stronger numbers: 48% approval, 25% disapproval, 47% trust, and 27% no trust.
Meanwhile, Romualdez suffers from low approval and trust, with just 25% of respondents saying they approve of him, while 32% disapprove. His trust/no trust ratings stood at 21%/35% in December, reflecting accusations that he was among those that "intimidating" members of the vice present's staff.
Before impeachment complaints moved forward, it was thought that the relationship between Duterte and the First Family, including Romualdez, had reached its lowest point when the VP had seemingly threatened to assassinate President Marcos, his wife, and the house speaker, should anything happen to her.
The looming Senate trial of a high-ranking official inevitably draws comparisons to the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona. Corona was impeached by the House on 12 December 2011 with 188 votes — far exceeding the 95-vote requirement. The Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate the following day, and the impeachment court convened on 16 January 2012.
At the time, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III enjoyed high public support, registering a September 2012 Pulse Asia approval rating of 78% against a mere 4% disapproval. House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., a key ally under the Liberal Party banner, steered the impeachment process. Corona’s trial concluded on 29 May 2012, when 20 senators found him guilty of failing to fully disclose his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN). Three senators voted otherwise, but Corona’s conviction nonetheless removed him from the Supreme Court.
Belmonte, who later left the Liberal Party in 2018 and retired from politics in 2019, once held an approval rating of 38%. He remains largely out of the political limelight today.
The country’s first major impeachment spectacle involved Joseph “Erap” Estrada, whose trial famously ended in chaos. Filed on 13 November 2000, the Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate by then-Speaker Manuel “Manny” Villar. Estrada stood accused of amassing about $85 million in ill-gotten wealth and accepting bribes from illegal gambling operators. While his trial formally opened on 7 December 2000, it abruptly concluded on 16 January 2001, when several senators refused to open an envelope containing alleged incriminating evidence. The prosecutors’ walkout that followed sparked the People Power II uprising, leading to Estrada’s ouster on 20 January 2001.
While Villar was an ally of the administration, like Belmonte and Romualdez after him, he backed the impeachment complaint after defecting from the ruling party, the coalition Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino. He left the administration alongside then-Senate President Franklin Drilon and vice president, resigned Cabinet member, and presidential replacement, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
After sending Estrada’s impeachment complaint to the Senate, Villar's term as speaker ended on the same day. In a 29 May 2024 article, Villar called his role in Estrada’s impeachment “the other highlight of my political career,” adding that his ouster was “a feather in my cap, a triumph, rather than a debacle.”
Notably, Estrada’s trust ratings plummeted during the fiasco, dropping from 60% to 24% according to a Pulse Asia survey taken in February 2001. The speakership changed hands twice in rapid succession: Arnulfo Fuentebella replaced Villar, then gave way to Sonny Belmonte only days after Estrada left the presidency after his own ouster, care of Arroyo allies.