House Opens Impeachment Case vs. VP Sara Duterte

The constitutional machinery for removing a vice president has been set in motion for the third time in Philippine history (following Jejomar Binay in 2015 and a prior attempt against Duterte in 2025).

The House of Representatives began deliberations this week on impeachment complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, formally triggering a process that could end in her removal from office. The hearings mark a dramatic escalation in the rift between the Marcos and Duterte camps—two families that rode to power together in 2022 on a unity platform that now looks like ancient history.

When Former Allies Turn the Constitutional Knife

Impeachment is not a legal trial. It’s a political one. And the House, dominated by allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., holds the first blade.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the House must first determine if there is sufficient ground to impeach—a majority vote in committee, then a third of the full chamber. If the complaint passes, it moves to the Senate, where two-thirds of all senators must vote to convict. That’s 16 out of 24—a steep climb, even in a chamber known for shifting allegiances.

But the fact that the process has begun at all is telling. Impeachment is the Constitution’s nuclear option, reserved for “culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust.” The last vice president to face it was Jejomar Binay in 2015, over corruption allegations tied to Makati infrastructure projects. Those complaints never reached the Senate floor.

This time, the political will appears stronger. The Marcos-Duterte alliance, once sold as a dream team to voters tired of division, has fractured over policy disagreements, budget disputes, and what many see as a struggle for control of the 2028 succession narrative.

The Senate Math and the Duterte Base

Even if the House votes to impeach—and it likely will—the Senate is a different arena. Senators face national constituencies, not just district loyalties. Several owe their seats to Duterte-era popularity. Others are eyeing 2025 and 2028 runs and cannot afford to alienate either camp too early.

Sara Duterte still commands significant support, particularly in Mindanao, where her father’s legacy as Davao mayor and president remains potent. Impeachment could galvanize that base, turning her into a martyr rather than a defendant. Kaya lang, martyrdom does not stop a two-thirds vote if the political wind shifts hard enough.

The charges themselves have not been fully detailed in the headlines provided, but impeachment complaints in the Philippines often mix genuine constitutional concerns with political theater. What matters now is not just the allegations, but whether enough senators believe conviction serves their interests—or the country’s.

What This Means If You Vote in 2025 or 2028

Impeachment proceedings take months, sometimes over a year. This influenced the 2025 midterms and continues to impact post-election dynamics toward 2028. Candidates will be forced to pick sides. Your ballot will become a referendum not just on local issues, but on whether you believe the Marcoses or the Dutertes should hold the upper hand going into the next presidential race.

For OFWs watching from abroad, this is not just palace intrigue. The stability of the administration affects everything from the peso exchange rate to the continuity of overseas labor policies. A protracted impeachment battle could stall legislation, freeze appointments, and turn governance into a spectator sport when what the country needs is focus on inflation, jobs, and infrastructure.

If you are trying to decide whether to come home for good or stay abroad another contract cycle, political stability is part of that calculus. Impeachment does not automatically mean chaos, but it does mean distraction.

Editor’s Take

Sa totoo lang, this was always going to happen. You cannot run a government on a marriage of convenience and expect it to survive the first real disagreement. The Marcos-Duterte alliance was built for a campaign, not for governance. What we are seeing now is not a breakdown—it’s the delayed reckoning of two families who never truly shared a vision, only a ballot. The Constitution gives us a process for this. Whether it is used wisely or weaponized for 2028 positioning will tell us more about our political maturity than any campaign slogan ever could. Impeachment is not the crisis. How we conduct it might be.

The question is not whether Sara Duterte will be removed—it’s whether we will remember this as the moment institutions held, or the moment they were used as instruments.

Sources
Round 2: House begins impeachment proceedings against Sara Duterte — Rappler
House begins Sara impeachment deliberations today — Philippine Star
House hearing on Sara Duterte’s impeachment case begins — Inquirer