Vice President Sara Duterte Faces Impeachment by the House
Headline: Supreme Court Halts Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte
Subhead: The impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte has been halted due to a Supreme Court ruling declaring the articles of impeachment against her as unconstitutional.
Vice President Sara Duterte, who is only the second elective official, post-EDSA, to be impeached, finds herself in a unique position as the third sitting official to be tried by the Senate, if the trial were to push through. This would follow the footsteps of former president Joseph Estrada in 2000 and former chief justice Renato Corona in 2011.
However, the Supreme Court's ruling on July 25, 2025, has put a temporary halt on the impeachment trial. The court declared the impeachment complaint barred by the "one-year rule" under the Constitution and violating due process rights, meaning the Senate does not have jurisdiction to hold the trial at this time.
The charges against Vice President Duterte stemmed from four complaints filed against her—three by private individuals and groups in December 2024, and a fourth by a House resolution in February 2025. The SC decision did not absolve her from these charges but barred proceeding with impeachment until another complaint can be filed after February 6, 2026.
Although some senators have considered the possibility of ignoring the SC ruling, constitutional experts note that the Senate traditionally defers to the SC on such matters, and the ruling currently stands as definitive.
The impeachment complaint against Duterte included allegations of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. These allegations were based on her involvement in the alleged destabilization of, and sedition and insurrection against the government, her skipping of the President's State of the Nation Address, her defense of doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy, and her obstructing of congressional probes by instructing her subordinates not to comply with subpoenas.
Additionally, the complaint alleged that Duterte had unexplained wealth, illegally disbursed P612.5 million in confidential funds as head of the OVP and education secretary, and was involved in extrajudicial killings in Davao, as stated by former police officer Arturo Lascañas. The House formalized its inquiry into Duterte's alleged misuse of public funds as Vice President and Department of Education secretary, months prior to the impeachment.
The impeachment trial will coincide with the three-month-long campaign period for national aspirants, including six senators who are mounting their reelection bids, and others who have aspirations for higher office in 2028. Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go are seeking reelection under former president Rodrigo Duterte's party.
Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, the political debate surrounding Vice President Duterte's impeachment remains ongoing. With the ruling effectively stopping the impeachment process for now under existing constitutional constraints, it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold in the future.
- The suspension of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial has brought a temporary respite from war-and-conflicts within the political arena, as the Supreme Court's ruling declares the impeachment articles unconstitutional.
- In the interim, while the political fracas takes a pause, the world of casino-and-gambling continues unabated, with casino-personalities engaging in their usual high-stakes games, oblivious to the political drama.
- Away from the glitz and glamour of the casino world, the police department grapples with crime-and-justice issues, as former police officer Arturo Lascañas' allegations of extrajudicial killings against Duterte continue to unsettle the public.
- Amidst the backdrop of the political impasse, general-news channels are flooded with reports of accidents, ranging from minor fender-benders to tragic pile-ups, adding another layer of complexity to an already multi-faceted society.
