Philippine Senate delays Sara Duterte impeachment trial for constitutional review
Philippine senators on Tuesday voted to send an impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte back to the lower house for clarification, just hours after convening a trial that could see her banned from politics for life.
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After a series of debates among members that included a motion presented by a Duterte ally to dismiss the case, the Senators voted in favour of returning it to the lower house to certify that the complaint was constitutional. The lower house in February voted to impeach the vice president for alleged high crimes and betrayal of the public trust, allegations she has vehemently denied.
A majority of the senators on Tuesday approved a motion to return the case to confirm the complaint did not violate the constitution and the next session of Congress was 'willing and ready' to pursue the impeachment complaint following midterm elections in May.
The decision could be a stay of execution for Duterte, a likely contender to be the next president, in a trial that could be a pivotal moment in Philippine politics.
The outcome of the trial could not only make or break Duterte, but also carries big implications for President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his agenda for the remaining three years of his presidency and beyond. The impeachment accusations against Duterte range from budget anomalies to amassing unusual wealth and threatening the lives of Marcos, his wife, and the house speaker.
Philippine senators are seated after taking their oath as jurors in the impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte, in Manila on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
She rejects the allegations and on Tuesday, her office said the impeachment process had been weaponised.
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