The House of Representatives in the Philippines has voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte for a second time. The move could block her path to the presidency in 2028.
With this vote, the case now moves to the Senate for trial. If she is convicted there, she would be banned from holding any public office. This would be a major setback for one of the country’s strongest political figures.
The impeachment case is based on allegations of misuse of public funds and reported threats made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, his wife, and a former House speaker.
Earlier, Duterte was also impeached in 2025 on similar charges. However, the Supreme Court stopped that case before it reached the Senate. The case was later revived this year after lawmakers reviewed the evidence again and said there were strong grounds for impeachment.
Duterte has rejected the accusations. She called the case politically motivated and refused to take part in committee hearings. After the latest vote, her legal team said the responsibility now lies with the accusers to prove their claims in court.
Senate trial will decide her political future
The House vote showed strong support for impeachment. Around 257 lawmakers voted in favour, which is well above the required number to send the case to the Senate.
Next, the Senate will decide whether to hold a full trial. However, the final outcome is still uncertain. In the Philippines political system, alliances often shift, making results difficult to predict.
The Senate has 24 members who are elected nationwide. This makes it a powerful body, often seen as a stepping stone for future presidential candidates. Some analysts believe this makes senators more independent in impeachment cases.
Meanwhile, political tensions between Duterte and President Marcos have grown over time. The two were once allies in the 2022 elections, where they won a landslide victory together. However, their relationship later broke down due to policy disagreements and corruption allegations.
The situation became more intense after Duterte publicly mentioned threats against top officials during a heated online statement. At the same time, investigations into her office’s spending increased pressure on her political position.
As the Senate prepares for a possible trial, the case is expected to play a major role in shaping the country’s political future ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
