How the campaign against Vice President Sara Duterte survived legal roadblocks, political hesitation and a divided nation
For months, the impeachment of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte seemed impossible.
Then improbable.
Then politically dangerous.
Yet on Monday night, the issue that once hovered at the edges of Philippine politics is expected to reach one of its most decisive moments as the House of Representatives of the Philippines begins deliberations and voting on whether to formally impeach the country’s second-highest official.
If enough lawmakers vote in favour, the case moves to the Senate for trial – a political and constitutional battle that could reshape the country’s future ahead of the 2028 presidential elections.
But this story did not begin tonight.
It began with a political alliance that collapsed in public view.
It survived constitutional challenges, accusations of political persecution, internal hesitation inside the Senate, and even a Supreme Court ruling that temporarily killed the first impeachment case altogether.
What is unfolding now is not simply a vote.
It is the latest chapter in one of the Philippines’ most dramatic political ruptures in recent years.
From allies to rivals
Back in 2022, the alliance between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte looked unbeatable.
The son of former president Ferdinand Marcos and the daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte united two of the country’s most powerful political dynasties. Supporters called it a “unity” ticket. Critics called it a marriage of convenience.
Still, it worked.
Marcos won the presidency by a landslide. Duterte became vice president with one of the highest vote counts in Philippine history.
For a while, the alliance appeared stable. Duterte was appointed education secretary while also serving as vice president. But behind the scenes, tensions reportedly simmered over power, influence and political succession.
The cracks slowly became public.
By 2024, the relationship between the Marcos and Duterte camps had visibly deteriorated. Public statements grew sharper. Allies traded accusations online and in media interviews. Political observers began openly discussing a looming power struggle over the 2028 presidential race.
Then came the controversies that would eventually fuel impeachment complaints.
The confidential funds controversy
Much of the impeachment campaign centred on Duterte’s use of confidential and intelligence funds during her time as vice president and education secretary.
Lawmakers questioned how certain funds were spent, particularly after unusual names – including the now-infamous “Mary Grace Piattos” – surfaced during congressional hearings.
Critics accused Duterte of mishandling public money and failing to adequately explain transactions tied to confidential operations.
Duterte repeatedly denied wrongdoing and argued that the accusations were politically motivated.
But the hearings intensified public attention.
The issue became more explosive when Duterte made remarks interpreted by critics as threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Those statements later became part of the impeachment discussions.
The first impeachment attempt
The first major impeachment complaints were filed in December 2024.
Several groups – including lawyers, activists, religious figures and opposition-linked organisations – accused Duterte of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, and misuse of public funds.
At first, however, momentum appeared uncertain.
Many lawmakers remained cautious. Duterte still enjoyed significant public support. Her family retained a loyal political base nationwide. Some legislators feared backlash from Duterte supporters if they openly backed impeachment.
Others believed Congress would simply avoid confrontation.
But pressure continued to build.
Then, in February 2025, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Duterte and transmitted the articles to the Senate for trial. Duterte became the first vice president in Philippine history to be impeached by the House.
For Duterte’s critics, it was a historic breakthrough.
For her supporters, it was political persecution.
But the drama was far from over.
The Supreme Court steps in
Just as the impeachment trial appeared headed toward the Senate, the process hit a constitutional wall.
In July 2025, the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that the impeachment process violated the constitutional “one-year bar” rule, which prohibits multiple impeachment proceedings against the same official within one year.
The ruling effectively stopped the trial before it could proceed.
For Duterte’s allies, it was vindication.
For impeachment supporters, it was devastating.
The decision triggered fierce debate among legal experts and politicians. Some accused the House of mishandling procedure. Others argued the ruling only addressed technical issues – not the substance of the allegations themselves.
Importantly, the Supreme Court clarified that it was not absolving Duterte of wrongdoing.
That distinction would later become crucial.
The waiting game
After the Supreme Court ruling, many believed the impeachment effort was effectively dead.
But Duterte’s critics did not disappear.
Instead, they waited.
Under the Constitution, a new impeachment complaint could only proceed after the one-year prohibition lapsed.
That deadline became a political countdown.
By early 2026, fresh impeachment complaints were filed almost immediately after the constitutional restriction expired.
This time, supporters of impeachment appeared more careful.
Lawmakers repeatedly emphasised procedural compliance. House leaders insisted the new complaints were different from the earlier case and were filed within constitutional limits.
The process moved forward step by step.
The House justice committee declared the complaints sufficient in form.
Then sufficient in substance.
Then found probable cause to impeach Duterte.
In April 2026, the committee voted unanimously to advance the articles of impeachment to the plenary.
By then, the political atmosphere had changed dramatically.
A nation watching again
The renewed impeachment push unfolded against a backdrop of wider political turmoil.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte had already been arrested and transferred to The Hague to face proceedings before the International Criminal Court over his bloody anti-drug war.
Meanwhile, Sara Duterte publicly signalled interest in a possible 2028 presidential run.
To her critics, impeachment became a question of accountability.
To supporters, it became a battle for political survival.
Both camps mobilised online.
Both accused the other of weaponising institutions.
And once again, the House of Representatives found itself at the centre of a political storm.
Tonight’s vote
Now, after months of hearings, legal arguments and political manoeuvring, lawmakers are expected to deliberate and vote on the articles of impeachment.
Reports indicate that more than 200 House members may support the move – comfortably beyond the one-third threshold needed to send the case to the Senate.
But even if the House votes to impeach, the battle will only enter a new phase.
The Senate impeachment trial could become one of the most closely watched political proceedings in recent Philippine history.
And beyond the legal arguments lies a larger national question:
Is this an act of constitutional accountability?
Or the climax of a collapsing political alliance between two of the country’s most powerful families?
By tonight, the Philippines may move one step closer to finding out.
