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Metro Manila, Philippines – The House of Representatives impeached Sara Duterte on Monday, May 11, making her the first vice president in Philippine history to be  impeached and the first to go through it twice in two separate Congresses. 255 lawmakers were in favor of impeaching Duterte, 26 were against, and 9 abstained. The case now goes to the Senate for trial. The Articles of Impeachment recommended two penalties: removal from public office and perpetual disqualification from holding any government position. The House accused Duterte of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, and high crimes.  In particular, she supposedly mismanaged at least ₱612.5 million in confidential funds in the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education, has unexplained wealth, bribed procurement officials, and plotted an assasination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  READ: Breaking down the proposed Articles of Impeachment vs. Duterte …

Metro Manila, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has been subpoenaed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in connection with a renewed internal probe into alleged extrajudicial killings. CIDG operatives served the subpoena at Dela Rosa’s office in the Senate on Monday, May 11. Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, has been absent from the Senate since November amid reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued a warrant for his arrest. The ICC considers Dela Rosa a “co-perpetrator” in the crimes against humanity case of murder involving detained former President Rodrigo Duterte. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who supervises the PNP, earlier said the CIDG subpoena is related to an internal investigation launched following the House of Representatives’ hearings on drug war killings. He stressed that it has nothing to do with the supposed ICC warrant, adding that the Philippine government “is not working…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte faced another impeachment battle early 2026 after surviving a previous attempt to remove her from office.  NewsWatch Plus breaks down the timeline of the fresh impeachment efforts that may not just unseat her – but disqualify her from holding any public office. Feb. 2 – Two impeachment suits were filed against the vice president amid conflicting interpretations on the one-year bar rule – the provision in the Constitution that prohibits more than one impeachment proceeding against one official in one year.  The first complaint was filed by the Makabayan coalition, citing betrayal of public trust for the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million of confidential funds in the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd).  The other was from civil society groups led by Tindig Pilipinas convenor Kiko Aquino Dee, grandson of democracy icons former President Corazon Aquino and former…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the government has no credible information yet regarding a possible International Criminal Court arrest warrant or Interpol red notice against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. “There is no credible information of an impending warrant of arrest from the ICC or the Interpol,” Remulla said during a press briefing on Sunday.  The statement comes amid growing speculation that dela Rosa, the former Philippine National Police chief and chief implementor of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, could face arrest linked to the ICC investigation into alleged crimes against humanity. Remulla clarified that authorities are not conducting a manhunt against the senator. “What we do have is now a subpoena for him, but not a manhunt,” he said. The Interior secretary earlier disclosed that the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group would issue a subpoena ordering dela Rosa to appear before investigators in…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s longtime partner Honeylet Avanceña and daughter Veronica “Kitty” Duterte selected the new lawyer who will take over the former president’s defense before the International Criminal Court, outgoing counsel Nicholas Kaufman said. In a statement sent to NewsWatch Plus, Kaufman said he raised no objection when the ICC Registry sought his approval for the incoming lawyer’s acquaintance visit with Duterte. “On Friday last, the Registry of the Court requested my approval for the acquaintance visit of replacement counsel yesterday and in accordance with my professional and ethical obligations, I raised no objection,” Kaufman said. Kaufman said Kitty later informed him that she and her mother had already chosen Duterte’s new lawyer and requested that he step down. “Veronica informed me that she and her mother Honeylet had selected new counsel for PRRD and advised me to step down based on their assurance that…