MANILA, Philippines — On Tuesday, Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify her impeachment, seeking to circumvent a Senate trial that could potentially lead to her ousting from office.
Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, an action largely backed by supporters of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The impeachment stemmed from serious allegations, including accusations of plotting the assassination of the president and engaging in large-scale corruption. With the Houses of Congress scheduled to reconvene on June 2, the Senate is anticipated to transform into an impeachment court to conduct the trial against Duterte.
In a formal plea presented by her legal representatives, the vice president urged the 15-member Supreme Court to declare her impeachment invalid. Her lawyers contended that the process was flawed, lacking procedural integrity, constitutional validity, and proper jurisdiction.
Lawyer Israelito Torreon expressed to the media that the impeachment complaint was forwarded to the Senate too hastily, preventing thorough review by all the representatives who signed it. He claimed that this scenario suggests an ulterior motive, arguing, “This is part of a plan probably to eliminate her as a probable contender in the 2028 presidential elections,” characterizing the allegations as purely political persecution.
Should a conviction arise from the Senate trial, it would bar Duterte from any future public office. The impeachment complaint was heavily based on remarks made by Duterte during an online news conference on November 23, where she purportedly stated her intention to assassinate the president, his wife, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if her life were to come under threat amidst their ongoing political conflict. Duterte has since refuted any claims that she intended to issue a death threat.
Additional accusations implicate her in the alleged misuse of intelligence funds in her capacities as vice president and former education secretary, prior to her resignation as the latter amid a falling-out with the president last year. As of now, she has not publicly addressed the corruption allegations in detail.
Sara Duterte, daughter of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, was elected as Marcos’ vice-presidential candidate during the 2022 elections, although their political partnership deteriorated soon after. During the campaign for senatorial candidates in the midterm elections on May 12, Marcos publicly criticized the contentious anti-drug campaign and the previous administration’s hesitance to address China’s aggressive actions against Philippine forces in the contested South China Sea, alluding to the Dutertes without directly mentioning them.
Recently, former President Rodrigo Duterte sparked controversy at a campaign rally where he suggested that 15 senators should be eliminated to create more opportunities for his allies in the midterms. In response, police have initiated criminal proceedings against him regarding those incendiary remarks.
