Impeachment Trial of Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte Set to Begin

Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte will face an impeachment trial starting July 6 in Manila. She is accused of misusing public funds, gaining unexplained wealth, and threatening the lives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the first lady, and a former House Speaker. Duterte denies all the charges and says the trial is politically motivated. The trial is the first ever for a Philippine vice-president, and its outcome could shape the country's next presidential election in 2028.

Sara Duterte is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte. She and President Marcos once ran together as a team in the 2022 election, but the two have since become bitter rivals. Their falling-out grew worse after Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March 2025 to face murder charges related to his deadly 'war on drugs.' Thousands of people were killed during that crackdown, and Rodrigo Duterte denies wrongdoing.

To be convicted, Duterte would need at least 16 of the Senate's 24 members to vote against her. A guilty verdict would likely stop her from running for president in 2028. Opinion polls show she is currently one of the top candidates for that election. If she is found not guilty and the public believes the trial was fair, experts say it could actually make her a stronger candidate.

Experts say the most important question is whether people will see the trial as fair. Ederson Tapia, a professor at the University of Makati, said that if the public thinks the trial is driven by politics rather than facts, doubts will remain no matter what the verdict is. Another professor, Jean Encinas-Franco from the University of the Philippines, pointed to a past example where a Senate vote to hide key evidence caused mass protests and led to the removal of President Joseph Estrada in 2001. She said both sides must have enough time to present their case so that people trust the process.

Duterte's lawyer, Michael Poa, said the defence was ready to prove all the charges were 'baseless.' He was not yet sure whether Duterte herself would attend the July 6 opening, since the summons allowed her to be represented by her lawyer. Congressman Robert 'Ace' Barbers, who speaks for the prosecution, said the evidence would prove their case. 'We will let the evidence speak for itself,' he said.

The trial has already caused chaos in the Philippine Senate. In May, a senator loyal to Duterte suddenly reappeared after months away and cast the deciding vote to pick a new Senate president. That senator, Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa, also faces charges from the ICC for his role in the drug war crackdown. He later disappeared again after gunfire broke out in the Parliament building, and his location is still unknown.

Experts warn that the Senate's internal fights should not be seen as a clear sign of how senators will vote in the actual trial. They say an impeachment trial carries different rules and responsibilities than a simple leadership vote. No one knows exactly how long the trial will last, but a similar impeachment trial for a chief justice in 2012 took four months. The result will also affect which candidate the Marcos political camp supports in 2028, since President Marcos is not allowed by law to run for a second term.