How Philippines' Sara Duterte won round 1 of impeachment battle
Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio has won round one of her impeachment battle after her allies in the Senate tossed back the bid to the Lower House on claims it was 'defective' and 'unconstitutional'.
The unprecedented move on Tuesday, which was settled by a vote of 18-5, has triggered an intense debate online about the senators' actions and Duterte-Carpio's political future.
'I think, for now, Sara has momentum even if the president still has three years left in his term of office,' political risk analyst Rolando Llamas told This Week in Asia, referring to the country's leader, Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.
There has been widespread speculation that Duterte-Carpio is expected to contest the 2028 presidential election, and her ally, Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa, told his colleagues on Tuesday that the impeachment trial was meant to derail that.
But whether she could clinch the presidency even if she were to escape impeachment would depend on her support from youth and millennial voters, with these groups seen as more demanding of accountability from officials, according to Llamas.
This demographic enabled the Akbayan party list group to unexpectedly win the recent Senate midterm elections, with Francis Pangilinan and Bam Aquino, two opposition senators who are not allied with either the Duterte family or Marcos Jnr, coming into office, according to Llamas.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia's Prabowo to visit Russia's Putin, skip G7 meeting in Canada
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will visit Vladimir Putin in Russia next week, skipping an in-person gathering of Western leaders at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada. Advertisement The June 18–20 visit, at the invitation of the Russian president, will include bilateral talks and participation in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Indonesia's foreign ministry said. Before heading to Russia, Prabowo is set to visit Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The decision to visit Putin and skip the G7 summit, despite a personal invitation from new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, has sparked questions over Jakarta's strategic direction under the 73-year-old ex-general. Still, Indonesia has long pursued a 'non-aligned' foreign policy, and the foreign ministry said the trips were planned well before the G7 invitation arrived. 'He recently received a call from the Canadian prime minister and conveyed his support for the G7 proceedings,' Foreign Ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat said in a Thursday briefing. 'The president will not be attending the meeting.' It's still unclear if Prabowo will join the G7 meeting virtually, or he may assign a delegate, the foreign ministry said. In contrast, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the summit in what may be a chance to mend frayed Canadian-Indian ties. Advertisement Indonesia, like Southeast Asia, has sought to diversify its partners amid mounting global tensions over trade and security. Since taking office in October 2024, he's visited President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Beijing hoping for closer ties with Vatican after Pope Leo names first Chinese bishop
China said it was willing to promote better relations with the Vatican after the appointment of the first Chinese bishop under the new pope. On Wednesday, the Vatican said Pope Leo had named Joseph Lin Yuntuan, 73, as an auxiliary bishop in Fuzhou, capital of the southwestern province of Fujian, on June 5. The appointment continues an agreement reached under Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, that bishops must be approved by both sides. The announcement was made on the same day that Beijing recognised the appointment. The Vatican described Chinese recognition of the bishop as 'a further fruit of the dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese authorities' and 'a significant step in the diocese's communal journey', according to Vatican News. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said: 'In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained communication and enhanced understanding and mutual trust through constructive dialogue. 'With the joint efforts of both sides, the provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops has been smoothly implemented.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Ex-aide of Malaysia's Anwar acquitted of drug and firearms charges, claims persecution
A former aide who accused Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of sexual misconduct has claimed he is a victim of political persecution, after a court in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday acquitted him of drug and firearms charges. Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, who made headlines in 2019 with allegations against the then-opposition leader, was charged last year with possession of over 300g of cannabis and two imitation firearms. The items were found in his car outside a police station in September 2024. Both charges carry the death penalty and had kept him in jail for the past nine months. Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin of the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove that Yusoff had possession and control over the illegal substances and imitation weapons, despite them being found in his vehicle. Speaking to reporters after his release, Yusoff vowed to keep fighting to clear his name. 'I was wronged, persecuted and mistreated in many ways,' he said.
