House to vote again on Sara Duterte's impeachment
With 255 votes in favour, the process to impeach the vice president, blocked by the Supreme Court due to a procedural flaw, reached again the quorum. Today, however, the Duterte clan saw a loyalist elected to lead the Senate, which will examine the charges. The country’s Catholic bishops call for a process that transcends political manoeuvring.
Manila (AsiaNews) – With 255 votes in favour, 26 against, and 9 abstentions, the Philippine House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte for the second time in just over a year.
The indictment, which now moves to the Senate, is based on charges of misappropriation of public funds, accumulation of illicit wealth, and death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and the former Speaker of the House.
The number of lawmakers who voted in favour this time was far higher than the 215 who expressed support for impeachment the first time in February 2025. The latter requires a minimum of one third of total seats to send the case to the Senate under the constitution.
The previous try ended when the Supreme Court ruled against it on procedural grounds. Now, this record-breaking vote in favour of impeachment certainly creates a situation that seriously jeopardises the candidacy of 47-year-old Duterte in the 2028 presidential election.
Church leaders waded into the affair before the plenary session of the House.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, who also chairs Caritas Philippines, urged lawmakers to view the proceedings as an inescapable constitutional duty, part of a "fair and just process" based on credible evidence, and not merely as political manoeuvring.
Archbishop Alberto Uy of Cebu urged lawmakers to resist political pressure, popularity, or personal ambition in making a decision that "will affect not only politics, but also the moral direction of our country."
The articles of impeachment will now be forwarded to the Senate, which will meet in plenary session to decide whether or not to convict the vice president. To remove her from office and prevent her from running for president, a two-thirds majority is needed, i.e. 16 out of 24 members.
Highly popular and enjoying cross-party political support, Sara Duterte is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who served from 2016 to 2022 and has been held in The Hague since March 2025 on charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
While the House was voting on Sara Duterte’s fate, Alan Peter Cayetano, a Duterte loyalist and a former Senate minority floor leader, was elected Senate president, replacing Tito Sotto, and will consequently preside over the trial.
This was made possible by the return of Ronald de la Rosa, who several sources said was under scrutiny by the ICC in The Hague. The former police chief had been absent from the chamber since last November, but his return changed the majority, with 13 senators (out of 24) voting in Cayetano’s favour and two abstaining.
This could pave the way for a favourable outcome for Sara Duterte in her upcoming trial.
Whatever happens, this second vote opens a new chapter not only in the country’s complex political history, where interests and personalities often take precedence over political agendas and coherence of ideas, but also in the long-running tug-of-war between Sara Duterte and her political rivals.
Large swathes of civil society are opposed to the authoritarian methods and summary justice meted out by the father and never condemned by his daughter. For its part, the Duterte clan remains determined to exert its political influence.
.png)
06/02/2025 14:58
20/05/2025 17:12
