Earlier this month, the Philippine Senate convened an impeachment court but remanded the issue to the House of Representatives. Will this lead to the eventual dismissal of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte? The allegations against Duterte include the anomalous use of her confidential funds, conspiracy to kill the president, sedition, unexplained wealth, and betrayal of public trust.
Duterte was impeached by the House in February but the Senate adjourned its session without tackling the matter. Under the law, the Senate has to convene an impeachment court, conduct a trial, and issue a verdict. For its part, the Senate leadership accused the House of transmitting the impeachment with just a few days left before the end of the session and right before the start of the midterm election campaign. Congress went back to work in June but the Senate only allotted two session days to hear the impeachment.
After senators took their oath as senator-judges on June 10, a pro-Duterte Senator called for the dismissal of the impeachment. This was amended and instead of dismissal, the articles of the impeachment were remanded to the House of Representatives. Supporters of Duterte welcomed the resolution while the opposition denounced it as unconstitutional.
The Senate leadership clarified that the impeachment is not dismissed since the House only needs to certify that the impeachment complaint conforms with Constitutional rules and that the new members of Congress whose term will start next month are still interested in pursuing the impeachment of Duterte.
The delay reflects the political nature and divisive impact of the impeachment process. The seeming reluctance of the Senate leadership to start the impeachment trial reflects its attempt to appease all parties and vested interests in order to remain in power. It also highlights the continuing influence of the Duterte camp, which managed to clinch key victories in the midterm election despite its failure to dominate the Senate race. Analysts believe Duterte has enough numbers in the current and incoming Senate to avoid an impeachment conviction, which is indicated by the bold move of a pro-Duterte Senator to call for the dismissal of the case against the vice president.
The impeachment trial is delayed but has not yet been defeated. Some legal experts believe the Senate leadership actually managed to ensure that the trial will proceed in the next Congress by issuing a summons to both Duterte and the prosecutors from the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, opposition forces are accusing the Senate of belittling the people’s clamor for truth and accountability by conniving with the Duterte camp to cast doubt about the legal validity of the impeachment case.
There are those who believe that the Duterte camp is pursuing all legal maneuvers to avoid a trial since this could lead to the presentation of damning evidence against the vice president, such as the opening of bank accounts and the enumeration of her family’s hidden assets. She may survive the impeachment trial but the evidence uncovered during the proceedings could be used to undermine her presidential candidacy in 2028. In fact, the House of Representatives ended its session this month by approving a committee report recommending the filing of corruption-related criminal and civil administrative cases against Duterte and her subordinates. This is a signal that the House leadership is readying other legal options to hold Duterte accountable if the impeachment is defeated in the Senate.
Duterte supporters are downplaying the impeachment drive by insisting that the government should prioritize the people’s economic concerns, such as the higher prices of goods and the inadequate rollout of government services. They add that pro-impeachment proponents only want to disqualify Duterte as a presidential candidate in the 2028 election
This narrative is valid but should not be used to allow the Dutertes to promote their self-serving agenda. It is correct to demand urgent government action to address the impact of inflation amid stagnant wages but the call for accountability against corrupt officials is also an important concern of ordinary citizens. Failure to penalize corrupt officials will worsen the culture of impunity, which deprives citizens of access to basic social services.
It is also true that the impeachment is linked to the collapse of the Marcos-Duterte alliance and the vicious rivalry of political dynasties, but the broad array of stakeholders calling for accountability is not beholden to these competing factions of the elite. In fact, impeachment complainants and pro-impeachment advocates are among the most ardent critics of the pork barrel program of the Marcos government. They are also demanding the scrapping of the president’s confidential funds. Some of them have even filed a petition in the Supreme Court questioning the budget realignments made by the government.
The crucial period is between now and the reopening of the new Congress on July 28. As politicians secretly negotiate the terms of the impeachment, various groups are demanding transparency, vowing to hold public vigils and pressure the Senate to proceed with the impeachment trial. The impeachment may be in limbo and held hostage by transactional politics, but the campaign for truth and accountability is very much alive.