Jun 12

Jun 12 Philippines Impeachment Process: What We Know About Sara Duterte’s Case

Introduction

The Philippines is experiencing unprecedented political drama as the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte has taken several dramatic turns recently.

Here’s what we know about this historic case and its latest developments.

The Impeachment Against Sara Duterte

Vice President Sara Duterte became the first vice president in Philippine history to be impeached when the House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment against her on February 5, 2025.

Two hundred fifteen lawmakers signed the impeachment complaint, exceeding the constitutional requirement of one-third of House members.

The signatories included figures such as President Marcos’s son, Sandro Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The Charges

The impeachment centers on seven specific charges for “violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.”

The specific allegations include

Corruption and misuse of confidential funds

Duterte is accused of illegally using P612.5 million in confidential funds during her tenure as both Vice President and Education Secretary

Assassination plot

Allegations that she threatened to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez

Involvement in extrajudicial killings

Claims linking her to unlawful killings

Incitement to insurrection and public disorder

Additional charges related to her conduct in office

The corruption charges specifically relate to dubious recipients of confidential funds, with investigators citing fictional names like “Mary Grace Piattos,” “Jay Kamote,” and “Xiaome Ocho” in disbursement records.

Recent Dramatic Developments

Senate’s Unprecedented Move

On June 10, 2025, the Philippine Senate made an unprecedented decision that has thrown the impeachment process into uncharted territory

After convening an impeachment court and swearing in 23 senators as judges, the Senate voted 18-5 to return the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives rather than proceed with the trial.

This decision came after Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, a close ally of the Dutertes, filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing it was “constitutionally infirm.”

When that motion failed, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano introduced a compromise motion to remand the articles back to the House to ensure constitutional compliance.

Constitutional Questions Raised

The Senate’s remand motion requires the House to certify two key points :

That the impeachment proceedings did not violate the constitutional “one impeachment per year” rule, given that three previous complaints were filed in December 2024

That the incoming 20th Congress is “willing and ready” to pursue the impeachment complaint after June 30, 2025

House Response

The House of Representatives responded swiftly to the Senate’s demands. On June 11, they unanimously passed a resolution certifying that their impeachment proceedings fully complied with the Constitution.

However, they also voted to defer acceptance of the returned articles until the Senate responds to their clarificatory queries about the remand process.

House prosecutors have been adamant that “no one can stop” the impeachment trial, arguing that jurisdiction has already been established since the Senate issued a summons to Duterte.

The Political Context

Marcos-Duterte Feud

The impeachment occurs against a bitter political feud between the country’s two most powerful families.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte were once allies who won the 2022 elections together on a platform of national unity.

However, their relationship has deteriorated dramatically over policy differences, particularly regarding China’s actions in the South China Sea.

The feud escalated significantly in November 2024 when Duterte made explosive public threats against Marcos.

During a profanity-laden press conference, she stated: “I have talked to a person. I said, if I get killed, kill BBM Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta, and Speaker Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke”.

Rodrigo Duterte’s Arrest

Adding another layer of complexity, Sara Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested on March 11, 2025, and extradited to the International Criminal Court to face charges of crimes against humanity related to his “war on drugs.”

This has further intensified the political tensions and may influence the impeachment proceedings.

What Happens Next

The impeachment process now faces several possible scenarios :

Four Potential Outcomes

House rejects the remand

If the House refuses to accept the returned articles, the Senate would be compelled to proceed with the trial

House accepts the remand

If the House accepts and chooses not to return the articles, this could effectively end the impeachment proceedings

Supreme Court intervention

The high court is currently considering petitions to nullify the impeachment complaint, which could halt the entire process

Supreme Court denial

If the Court denies the petitions, the impeachment would proceed as planned

Timeline Uncertainties

The timing remains complicated by the transition between the 19th and 20th Congress. The current Congress ends on June 30, 2025, with the new session beginning in late July.

Senate President Chiz Escudero has projected that if the trial proceeds, it would likely begin in July 2025 after President Marcos’s State of the Nation Address, with a potential verdict in October 2025.

Current Status

As of June 11, 2025, Sara Duterte left the Philippines for Malaysia, citing a trip to mark Filipino Independence Day.

The Senate summoned her to respond to the charges within 10 days of receiving the summons, which was delivered to her office on June 11.

The Vice President’s office has stated she is ready to “expose the baselessness of the accusations.”

It maintains that “the impeachment process must never be weaponized to harass, silence, or eliminate political opponents.”

This historic impeachment case represents a critical test of Philippine democratic institutions.

It could have significant implications for the country’s political landscape heading into the 2028 presidential elections, where Duterte is widely expected to be a candidate.

Antonio Bhardwaj

Dr. Antonio Bhardwaj, aka Amir, is a distinguished polymath whose intellectual pursuits span business, politics, theology, and psychology. As an INTJ personality type, he demonstrates an exceptional cognitive profile, with a Stanford-Binet IQ of 158 and a TalentEQ score in the 99th percentile, both validated through internationally recognized assessments.

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Employing analytical methodologies grounded in historical precedent and strategic frameworks, Dr. Bhardwaj conducts rigorous evaluations of contemporary military and political landscapes. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Washington.Media, where his incisive commentary elucidates the dynamics of the deep state within the Western bloc.

He is widely recognized as an expert on the historical evolution of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and contemporary Russia, as well as on the intricacies of Gulf politics. With four decades of reading and writing, Dr. Bhardwaj has refined his expertise across multiple disciplines.

Academically, Dr. Antonio Bhardwaj holds a Doctorate in Theological Studies with a specialization in psychology.

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