Senators, sitting as impeachment judges, start hearing charges against Vice President

Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio faces an impeachment court on Monday, a political drama that Filipinos would watch on national television for months.

Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian and fellow senate employees during the flag ceremony on Monday, July 6. Gatchalian will serve as the presiding officer over Vice President Duterte’s impeachment trial. Photo by Wendell D. Alinea / Senate Social Media Unit.

Manuel Mogato | July 6, 2026

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio faces an impeachment court on Monday, a political drama that Filipinos would watch on national television for months.

Duterte, the only public official to be impeached twice, faced corruption, bribery, and betrayal of public trust. She escaped the first impeachment trial when the Supreme Court intervened and declared the process flawed.

Members of the House of Representatives overwhelming voted to impeach her, sending her for trial in the Senate.

Congressmen, serving as prosecutors, will present 57 witnesses and thousands of documentary evidence in the next 60 trial days to prove Duterte is unfit to serve as vice president.

Her defense team will have 45 witnesses and several hundred documents to be presented in 30 trial days. (Also read: Prosecutors plan to present a ‘fictitious agent’ as a witness at the impeachment trial)

The Senate will hear the witnesses and pore over documents three times a week in a trial that could last for more seven months.

A two-thirds vote of the 24 senators, or 16 votes, would convict Duterte, removing her from her position and disqualifying her to seek any public office. She needs eight votes to clear her.

However, the whole impeachment process is not only legal but a political game.

Nine members of the Senate are currently aligned with her.

Two other allies could not vote — one is in hiding to evade an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity in relations to war on drugs by the previous government and issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The other faced corruption charges while a third senator allied with Duterte was also arrested on Monday morning for another corruption case. (Also read: Religious group protests impending senator’s arrest; causes mammoth traffic)

President Ferdinand Marcos wields power that could force some pro-Duterte senators to switch sides and convict Duterte, a former ally who turned against him. (Also read: Authorities checking reports on fresh destabilization attempts against the Marcos government)

Both Marcos and Duterte were elected in 2022 with the biggest vote margin, about 60 percent of total votes cast, an unprecedented result since 1992 when multi-party elections started.

But the alliance broke up in 2024 when the Dutertes accused Marcos of corruption and a drug user.

More than 6,000 police officers were deployed on the Senate grounds to ensure order as the trial was opened for the public.

Millions were glued on television to watch what was described as the trial of the century.