According to Reuters on July 6th, the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte in the Philippines was initiated on Monday. This trial is expected to influence the outcome of the 2028 presidential elections in the Philippines and will deepen the rift between two prominent political families.
This is the first impeachment trial against a vice president in Philippine history. The core charges include Sara Duterte's misuse of public funds, unclear sources of her wealth, and threats to the personal safety of President Rodrigo Duterte, First Lady, and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sarah is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte and is considered a hot candidate in the upcoming presidential elections. Since the current president is constitutionally barred from running for another term, if she successfully avoids impeachment, she could become one of the most competitive candidates in the 2028 elections.
Sala is also the first public official in Philippine history to be impeached twice. She was impeached by the House of Representatives last year, but the Philippine Supreme Court later ruled that one of the charges was unconstitutional, saving her from trial.
She denied any improper conduct and insisted that impeachment stemmed from political motivations.
It is currently unclear how long the trial will last. Factors such as procedural disputes, the number of witnesses, and the presentation of evidence could determine the pace of the trial. The impeachment trial of a former Chief Justice in 2012 lasted four months. For a conviction to be possible, at least 16 out of the 24 members of the Senate must vote in favor.
Regardless of the outcome, if this trial is viewed as driven by political motives or lacking credibility, voices of doubt will persist, said Professor Ederson Tapia from the Department of Public Administration at Maastricht University.
"If the public believes the judicial process is fair, then a not guilty verdict might actually strengthen her position," Tapia said.
Philippine University political science professor Jean Encinas-Fránco believes that both parties must be able to fully articulate their positions in order to ensure public confidence.
Sarah’s lawyer stated that the defense has prepared evidence to prove that these accusations are ‘baseless’. He is still unable to confirm whether Sarah will attend the hearing on Monday, as the subpoena indicates that she can be represented by her lawyer.
Marcos and Duterte are the heirs of two of the most powerful political families in the Philippines. The two ran as partners in the 2022 elections. After that, their alliance broke down, and their grudges deepened. This situation worsened when Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and transferred to the International Criminal Court last March.
This rift has spread to the Senate. Just a few hours before the impeachment trial was initiated, a senator from Duterte’s camp was arrested for embezzlement.
The anti-corruption department accused Senator Marcone of accepting private donations of 75 million pesos (approximately $1.2 million) during the 2025 senatorial campaign, in violation of anti-corruption laws. As a result, they ordered his arrest. The court also issued a travel ban against the senator, preventing him from leaving the country.
The police arrested Marcoleta inside the court building on Monday afternoon. He appeared at the court to object to the arrest order.
t"I will not evade. I will face the law and deal with these accusations based on my understanding of the law," Malikota told reporters.
tLast month, Senator Estrada was detained for allegedly accepting bribes from infrastructure projects. Estrada is also considered a supporter of Duterte and has been suspended from serving as a senator, making it impossible for him to attend the trial.
