Philippine Senate Begins Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

The Philippine Senate opened the impeachment trial of Sara Duterte on July 6, 2026, following a House of Representatives vote to impeach the vice president. The charges include corruption, unexplained wealth, the misuse of 612.5 million pesos in confidential funds, and an alleged plot to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

During proceedings on July 8, the prosecution presented digital forensics expert John Mark Calilung of the National Bureau of Investigation. Calilung testified regarding a November 2024 video in which Duterte allegedly instructed an associate to kill the president and his associates if she were killed, stating, "No joke, no joke." Public prosecutor Lorenz Defensor argued these threats illustrate a culture of impunity, while the defense challenged the authenticity of the digital evidence.

Duterte did not attend the opening session, instead issuing a statement claiming the articles of impeachment suffer from "fatal constitutional, procedural, and substantive defects." She described the trial as political persecution, stating that in this "bloodbath and bludgeoning," she would remain "bloodied but unbowed."

The trial is scheduled for three days per week, with the prosecution allotted 62 dates and the defense 30. A conviction by a two-thirds Senate vote would remove Duterte from office and bar her from future elected positions. The proceedings occur amid a bitter political feud between the Duterte and Marcos families.