The Philippines’ House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday—for thesecond time—over accusations of unexplained wealth, misuse of state funds, and threats to have herformer allyPresidentFerdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.assassinated.
The second impeachment came more than nine months after the country’s Supreme Court voided the first over a constitutional technicality, but the top court’s decision did not prevent any future attempts.
After deliberations, there were 255 votes cast in favor of impeaching Duterte, more than the required third of House members. With the House vote on Monday, Duterte, who comes from one of the country’smost prominent political dynasties, became the first official in the Southeast Asian country’s history to be impeached twice.
Duterte will face trial before the Philippine Senate, which observers say is the real battleground: “The manner in which the impeachment trial will play out before the public will shape how voters will look at her candidacy,” Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, tells TIME.
A strong pro-Duterte bloc sits in the Senate. After the House impeached the Vice President for the first time last year, the Senate effectively shelved the proceedings, referring to the Supreme Court ruling. This year, as the House deliberated on Duterte’s impeachment, a majority of Senators suddenly elected a known ally of the Duterte family as Senate President, who has denied that the impeachment influenced the shake-up.
Advertisement
In February, Duterteannouncedshe would run for President in the 2028 national elections. Shecontinues to lead in public opinion pollingabout who could succeed Marcos, as Philippine Presidents are constitutionally limited to a single six-year term. Duterte joined Marcos’ ticket to secure a landslide victory in the 2022 national elections, but the two have since become political rivals, fomenting a feud that has thrown the country into political and economic turmoil.
A guilty verdict at the Senate could spell political doom for Duterte, the daughter of former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte, who is in theInternational Criminal Court’s custody as he faces a trial overa nationwide drug war that caused thousands of deaths during his term.
If found guilty, the Vice President will be removed from her post and could be barred from public office. However, Manila-based political scientist Cleve Arguelles tells TIME that the impeachment could in actuality consolidate Duterte’s political constituency, “potentially strengthening loyalty among supporters and preserving her viability for 2028.”
The Vice President has alleged that the impeachment proceedings against her are politically motivated and has denied any wrongdoing.
Duterte is the highest‑ranking official to be impeached in the Philippines since formerPresident Joseph Estrada in 2000, though that impeachment trial was aborted after prosecutors walked out. Estrada resigned months later.
Of the five impeached public officials in the country’s history, including Duterte, only one—a former Supreme Court Chief Justice—has been convicted.
