Philippine Supreme Court Halts Impeachment Trial Against Sara Duterte
So, big political news out of the Philippines—Vice President Sara Duterte just got a major legal lifeline. The Philippine Supreme Court has officially blocked an impeachment trial against her, and this decision is already making waves across the country’s political landscape.
Now, this all started earlier this year when the House of Representatives voted to impeach Duterte over some very serious allegations. We’re talking about accusations of corruption, sedition, terrorism, and even a shocking claim that she threatened to have President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his family assassinated if anything were to happen to her. That’s a lot. But here’s the twist: while those accusations are still hanging in the air, the Supreme Court isn’t letting the trial go forward—not yet, anyway.
So what happened? Essentially, the court found that the House violated a constitutional rule. Under Philippine law, only one impeachment case can be processed against an official per year. But the House had actually received four different complaints against Duterte between December and February. Only one of those made it to the Senate, while the others were shelved. That, the court said, broke the rules—so the whole process has been scrapped for now.
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The ruling doesn’t clear Duterte of the allegations, though. The justices made it clear: this was a legal technicality, not a judgment of guilt or innocence. Still, it’s a win for her politically. This decision means she can’t be impeached again until at least February 2026, and that gives her time—time to regroup, rebuild alliances, and possibly gear up for a presidential run in 2028.
This drama is just the latest chapter in the now-dysfunctional alliance between Duterte and Marcos. Remember, they were elected together in 2022 under the “Uniteam” banner—a kind of political power duo, both children of controversial former presidents. But things soured fast. Sara’s father, Rodrigo Duterte, called Marcos a “drug addict,” and Sara herself publicly accused Marcos and his inner circle of corruption and betrayal.
Then it got even messier—her father was extradited to The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges, tied to his brutal anti-drug campaign. That’s when Sara made her now-infamous comment about ensuring the President would be assassinated if she were killed. That statement blew everything up and led to the impeachment push.
Despite public protests and Senate discussions about moving forward, the court’s decision effectively puts the brakes on everything—at least for now. And with the court dominated by Rodrigo Duterte’s appointees, some are raising eyebrows about the ruling, even though the justices insist they’re just following the law.
So while the accusations haven’t disappeared, Sara Duterte has bought herself some breathing room. What happens next? That depends on how the political chessboard moves over the next year. But one thing’s for sure—Philippine politics just got a whole lot more intense.
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