THE Philippine Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, opened the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday in a politically charged atmosphere shaped by an intensifying feud between her family and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
More than 6,000 police officers, including anti-riot units, were deployed around the Senate complex to secure the proceedings, where approximately 400 anti-Duterte demonstrators gathered chanting calls for conviction. Duterte did not appear in person at the opening session and was represented by her legal team.
The impeachment trial, scheduled to run for 92 days under a pretrial timetable reported by The Associated Press, could result in Duterte’s permanent disqualification from holding public office if she is convicted on the charges against her.
The allegations include unexplained wealth, misuse of confidential funds, and a public threat allegedly made against President Marcos, his wife, and a former House Speaker. Duterte has denied all accusations.
A conviction would significantly damage her anticipated bid for the presidency in 2028, when Marcos is expected to complete his term. Duterte previously ran as Marcos’s vice-presidential running mate in the 2022 elections, a high-profile alliance between two of the country’s most influential political dynasties that has since collapsed into open hostility.
The vice president is the daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained in The Hague under International Criminal Court custody, where he is expected to face trial later this year over alleged crimes linked to his anti-drugs campaign. He has denied authorising extrajudicial killings.
The impeachment proceedings follow a vote in the House of Representatives, dominated by Marcos allies, which approved charges including alleged corruption, misuse of confidential funds, and threats of violence. Duterte has rejected the allegations but has not yet publicly addressed them in detail during the pretrial phase.
Supporters of the vice president have claimed the proceedings amount to political persecution aimed at eliminating her from the 2028 presidential race, while her critics argue the case reflects accountability over serious allegations involving public funds and abuse of authority.
Security around the Senate was significantly tightened as the trial opened, reflecting the sensitivity of the case and the potential for political unrest.
The Senate requires a two-thirds majority, or 16 of its 24 members, to convict the vice president and bar her from holding future public office.
The proceedings also unfold amid wider political turbulence in the Philippine legislature, where several senators aligned with either the Duterte or Marcos camps have faced separate legal challenges, including allegations of large-scale corruption and plunder in unrelated cases.
The impeachment trial is expected to remain a focal point of Philippine politics in the coming months, further intensifying divisions between two powerful political blocs that have shaped the country’s recent electoral landscape. - July 6, 2026
