ASEAN Beat | Politics | Southeast Asia

What’s Happening in Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Trial?

The trial has dropped from the headlines amid ongoing corruption controversies and the massive flooding that hit vast areas of Luzon this month.

Philippine senators take part in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Sept. 2, 2026.

This week marks the second month of the impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, who is accused of betrayal of public trust over the alleged misuse of public funds, accumulation of unexplained wealth, and making grave threats against the president. What has happened over the past two months, and what’s the prospect of her conviction or acquittal?

Two articles of the impeachment complaint have been presented already to the public. The first accusation refers to her involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The second issue, which is considered by anti-corruption advocates as the main aspect of the case, is about Duterte’s anomalous spending of confidential funds.

Perhaps the prosecution decided to prioritize the presentation of the issue of grave threats to galvanize and unite the president’s constituency. The evidence was clear even if Duterte’s camp tried hard to undermine the testimony of the witnesses from law enforcement bodies. Duterte’s defense tactic is expected to double down on the argument about the vice president exercising her freedom of speech.

As expected, the confidential funds issue has produced old and new documentary evidence showing the irregular spending of Duterte’s office. The prosecution is not yet done presenting the case, and they could follow this up by highlighting the suspicious bank transactions made by Duterte and her husband. Based on the line of questioning and earlier manifestations of Duterte’s legal team, they could try to link the questionable use of funds to the counterinsurgency operations of security forces. They could also assert the inadmissibility of evidence by citing bank secrecy laws.

Duterte is not required to appear at the trial, but she has been called out for her absence while disparaging her accusers in her public appearances. In particular, she has lambasted prosecutors for “fishing for evidence” and concocting “wild stories” of alleged wrongdoing. The defense panel has also criticized some prosecutors for posting offensive remarks on social media.

The impeachment is more than just a legal process; it is a political mechanism designed to hold officials accountable. A vicious exchange of political rhetoric from both parties and other stakeholders is intended to gather public support. Nevertheless, the presiding officer issued a ruling that prohibited all those........

© The Diplomat