Sara Duterte impeachment

The impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte has emerged as one of the most closely followed political developments in the Philippines. Duterte, the daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, is facing serious allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds and questionable transactions during her tenure as secretary of the Department of Education.

The House of Representatives on February 5, 2025, voted to impeach Duterte with more than two-thirds of its members supporting the resolution. This historic vote led to the formal transmission of the articles of impeachment to the Senate where a trial is supposed to take place.

The Supreme Court, however, blocked the trial on July 25, 2025 after ruling that the impeachment complaint was barred by the one-year rule following the House’s inaction on the first three complaints filed against Duterte. The 1987 Constitution states that “impeachment proceedings [cannot] be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year.”

SC spokesperson Camille Ting clarified that the High Court is “not absolving Vice President Duterte from any of the charges against her” and that “any subsequent impeachment complaint may only be filed starting February 6, 2026.”

The unfolding events have further laid bare the growing tensions between the Duterte and Marcos camps. The case also continues to raise broader questions on accountability, governance, and political loyalty in the Philippines.

Bookmark this page to stay updated on Rappler’s comprehensive coverage of the Sara Duterte impeachment, featuring breaking news, in-depth reports, analyses, and explainers on key developments that could shape not only the Vice President’s political fate but also the direction of the Philippines.

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Impeachment Timeline

Senator-Judges

The senator-judges are members of the Philippine Senate who sit as an impeachment court that will hear the case against Vice President Sara Duterte. Their main role is to weigh the evidence, listen to arguments from both sides, and decide if Duterte is guilty of any impeachable offense. They will vote on motions, issue subpoenas, and ask questions during the trial.

Each senator will cast a vote for or against conviction at the end of the impeachment trial. A guilty verdict needs a two-thirds majority, according to the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Prosecutors

The House of Representatives has the exclusive power to begin impeachment cases, according to the 1987 Philippine Constitution. A number of House members will serve as prosecutors once the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, begins the trial. The prosecutors are usually members of the justice committee or selected by the House leadership.

The prosecution panel is tasked with presenting evidence that Vice President Sara Duterte committed impeachable offenses. Prosecutors are expected to walk the Senate through their case using witness testimony, documents, and other materials to support their arguments anchored in the articles of impeachment submitted by the House.

Newly-elected party-list representatives Chel Diokno of Akbayan and Leila de Lima of Mamamayang Liberal have accepted House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s invitation to join the House prosecution team for the upcoming impeachment trial. Their inclusion is expected to be formalized in the House plenary when the 20th Congress convenes.