Metro Manila, Philippines – Making sure of an impartial Impeachment Court will be the biggest challenge in the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, a lawmaker-prosecutor said Wednesday, May 13.
In an interview with reporters, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor said it will be challenging to present their case in front of the same set of senator judges – majority of whom voted to archive Duterte’s first impeachment case last year.
In 2025, the Senate trial did not proceed in light of the Supreme Court ruling that declared Duterte’s impeachment as unconstitutional.
Duterte was impeached by 257 lawmakers on May 11 over allegations of corruption, unexplained wealth, and threats to the presidential family.
“Napakahirap magkaroon ng isang [it’s difficult to have an] impartial impeachment trial if those who decided to archive it and not follow the rule of law will be the ones sitting as senator judges,” Defensor said.
“I will not prejudge them on how they will act on it kasi wala pa naman sa kanila Articles of Impeachment. And I’m hopeful that they will follow the rule of law,” he added.
Defensor said he and his fellow prosecutors accepted the fact that Duterte has allies in the Senate, and that they need to present their evidence clearly to convince the senator-judges.
He noted that some allegations are already backed by clear evidence.
“Ang video kung saan desidido, sinabi ng bise presidente na may nakausap na siyang taong nakaabangga na, tinanggap na ang paghamon. Anytime handa siyang patayin ang presidente at asawa. Iyon ay napakalinaw at hindi mo na pwedeng bawiin,” Defensor said, pertaining to the statement of Duterte that she hired an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., if she gets murdered.
“Napakalinaw rin na may dumaang 6.7 billion sa mga bank accounts mo. Ngunit hindi makita sa mga dokumentong binigay niya sa gobyerno,” he added, referring to the records of the Anti Money Laundering Council.
[Translation: The video clearly showed the vice president speaking with determination, saying that she had already talked to someone she had allegedly hired and that the challenge had been accepted. She said she was ready to have the president and his wife killed anytime. That was very clear, and it can no longer be taken back…It is also very clear that ₱6.7 billion passed through your bank accounts. However, this could not be seen in the documents she submitted to the government.]
Election a factor
Meanwhile, Defensor acknowledged that the upcoming 2028 elections would be a factor for senators in weighing on the case.
He said consequences await reelectionist senators regardless of where they stand.
“Eventually, if they will vote to convict, ang boto ng mga pro-Duterte at maraming boto sa Mindanao, pwedeng mawala sa kanila. If they vote to acquit, ang mayorya ng mga Pilipinong pabor sa impeachment at conviction, pwede rin mawala sa kanila especially for the re-electionist senator judges,” Defensor added.
[Translation: Eventually, if they vote to convict, they could lose the support of pro-Duterte voters and many votes from Mindanao. If they vote to acquit, they could also lose the support of the majority of Filipinos who favor impeachment and conviction, especially for the senator-judges seeking reelection.]
A March survey had shown that almost seven in 10 Filipinos believe that Duterte must face trial.
