Sara Duterte Vice President Impeachment Trial to Proceed Soon, Philippine House of Representatives Prepares Evidence

Member of the House of Representatives for District III of Manila Joel Chua delivered the development of the impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte. (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

JAKARTA - The long-delayed impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President (Wapres) Sara Duterte has begun to take its course. Citing the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Friday, May 15, the Philippine Senate is scheduled to sit as an impeachment court on May 18.

The schedule was announced by the newly elected Senate Chairman, Alan Peter Cayetano. For the DPR prosecution team, this is a signal that the process that had been hanging will enter the stage of proof.

Member of the House of Representatives for District III of Manila, Joel Chua, said the new majority of the Senate seemed to agree that the impeachment trial should continue.

"It seems there is a consensus among the new majority of the Senate that the impeachment trial should finally continue. This is good news for us in the House of Representatives Prosecution Team," Chua said, quoted by PNA.

The Philippine House of Representatives previously sent impeachment articles to the Senate after 257 members of parliament voted to impeach Duterte for the second time.

The charges are serious. Duterte is suspected of misusing secret funds worth 612.5 million Philippine pesos. He is also accused of having unexplained wealth, bribery, and threatening President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Chua said the prosecution team wanted to be given the opportunity to present the indictment, bring evidence, and let the impeachment court judge it.

"With the Senate expected to convene as the Impeachment Court on May 18, we are making the necessary preparations and ready to carry out our constitutional duties as prosecutors," Chua said.

In the Philippine system, the Senate can sit as an impeachment court. Senators act as judges, while the House of Representatives is the prosecution. At this stage, political charges must be tested through evidence, witnesses, and arguments.

Chua said the hearing would give room for two parties: the prosecution team and Duterte's camp. Both can submit evidence and defense before the senators-judges.

"We believe that the senators-judges also want the opportunity to hear the Vice President Duterte, who has been impeached twice, and examine the evidence that will be presented by the DPR Prosecutor Team," he said.

He also assessed that there was no sign that the Supreme Court would stop the process. According to Chua, the highest court in the Philippines so far has not tended to issue a TRO or a temporary suspension order in related cases.

The DPR prosecution team is now preparing motions, witnesses, documentary evidence, and rebuttal arguments ahead of the hearing. They will also work with private prosecutors and legal experts in state administration, audit, financial forensics, corporate law, and finance.

"We will go day by day, step by step," Chua said.

If there are no new legal obstacles, the next stage is in the Philippine Senate. There, Duterte's camp and the DPR prosecution team will both be tested, which is stronger, the accusation or the defense.