Philippine Senate Opens Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte Amid Political Feud

The Philippine Senate, acting as an impeachment court, will open the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, July 6, 2026, in a politically charged event that follows her bitter rift with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

More than 6,000 police officers, including anti-riot squads, have been deployed to secure the Senate, where pro- and anti-Duterte demonstrators are expected. Ms. Duterte or her lawyers may appear at the start of the trial, which is scheduled to run for 92 days, according to a pretrial plan obtained by The Associated Press.

If convicted on charges including unexplained wealth and a public threat to assassinate President Marcos, Ms. Duterte could be permanently disqualified from holding public office. She denies the allegations.

A conviction would severely damage her announced plan to run for president in 2028, when Mr. Marcos ends his six-year term. The two were running mates in the 2022 elections, an alliance that combined the clout of two powerful political dynasties, but the partnership quickly collapsed.

The Vice President is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Mr. Marcos' predecessor. He was arrested last year on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant and flown to The Hague, where he remains detained, facing trial for alleged crimes against humanity scheduled for November 30. The charges stem from his brutal anti-drugs crackdown that left thousands dead, mostly poor suspects, alarming Western governments and human rights groups. Rodrigo Duterte denies authorising extrajudicial killings but repeatedly threatened suspects with death while in office.

The Vice President has blamed Mr. Marcos for her father's arrest and handover to the ICC.

Mr. Marcos and the Dutertes have contrasting geopolitical leanings. Mr. Marcos has expanded defence ties with the United States, a treaty ally, as his administration confronts China's aggressive actions in the disputed South China Sea. Rodrigo Duterte had nurtured close ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin while threatening to sever ties with Washington. The Vice President has faced criticism for not condemning China's use of water cannons against Filipino forces and fishermen in disputed waters.

Last month, the House of Representatives, dominated by Mr. Marcos' allies, voted overwhelmingly to impeach the Vice President on charges of unexplained wealth, misuse of confidential state funds, and a public threat to assassinate the president, his wife, and a former House speaker if she were killed due to political disputes. She has generally denied the charges but has not publicly answered them in detail. Her supporters accuse Mr. Marcos and his allies of politically persecuting her and her senatorial allies to ensure her impeachment.

Two-thirds of the 24-member Senate, or 16 votes, are needed to convict the Vice President.

Separately, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, a pro-Duterte senator, was arrested last month on a nonbailable charge of plunder related to a flood-control bribery scandal. He denies wrongdoing. Another pro-Duterte senator, Rodante Marcoleta, faces possible arrest on a nonbailable plunder charge for receiving undeclared campaign donations. He denies irregularities. A third senator, Ronald dela Rosa, has gone into hiding after the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest as a co-perpetrator in the crimes against humanity case.