Philippine Senate Begins Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

The Philippine Senate formally convened as an impeachment court on July 6, 2026, to begin the trial of Sara Duterte. The Vice President faces four articles of impeachment: the alleged misuse of 612.5 million pesos in confidential funds, amassing unexplained wealth, bribery within the Department of Education, and making grave threats to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Presided over by Senator Francis Escudero, the court established a conviction threshold of 16 votes. The trial is scheduled for 92 days, with the prosecution beginning its case on July 7 by presenting National Bureau of Investigation evidence and video recordings regarding the alleged assassination plot. Duterte has not personally attended the hearings, citing legal strategy and official duties, though she visited the Senate on July 7 to declare herself "bloodied but unbowed."

Parallel to the trial, Duterte filed a petition with the Supreme Court of the Philippines to halt proceedings, arguing that Escudero's appointment as presiding officer was constitutionally invalid. The proceedings occur amid a bitter feud between the Marcos and Duterte dynasties, exacerbated by the International Criminal Court's detention of former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague. A conviction would remove Duterte from office and permanently disqualify her from public service, jeopardizing her planned 2028 presidential bid.