Philippine politics has always been a contact sport, but what’s happening right now in Manila is more like a scorched-earth campaign. On March 25, 2026, the House Committee on Justice officially opened the hearing for the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. She wasn't there. Her chairs remained empty, a silent protest against a process her legal team calls a "constitutional travesty." But don't let the empty seats fool you. This isn't just about a few billion pesos in missing funds or a heated press conference. It's the final breakdown of the most powerful political marriage in recent history.
If you’re looking for the TL;DR on why this matters, it’s simple. The "UniTeam" alliance that swept the 2022 elections is dead. What's left is a high-stakes brawl between the Marcos and Duterte dynasties that will determine who runs the country in 2028. The House is moving fast, and they aren't pulling punches. Read more on a similar issue: this related article.
The ghost in the hearing room
Sara Duterte’s decision to skip the opening day isn't just a snub; it’s a calculated legal gamble. Her spokesperson, Atty. Michael Poa, made it clear that they're sticking to "constitutional objections." Basically, they’re betting that by not participating, they can later argue the entire proceeding was a one-sided kangaroo court.
It’s a risky move. Representative Gerville Luistro, who’s heading the committee, didn't hesitate to point out the obvious. If you don't show up to defend yourself, the allegations stay on the record unchallenged. For the lawmakers sitting in that room, silence looks a lot like an admission of something to hide. I've seen this play before. It's the "ignore it until it goes away" strategy, but the problem is, it rarely goes away when the other side has the numbers to force a vote. Further reporting by USA Today explores related views on this issue.
What the House is actually investigating
This isn't just one vague accusation. The two remaining complaints found "sufficient in substance" by the House are a laundry list of serious charges.
- The "Bagman" Testimony: Former aide Ramil Madriaga has already alleged that he was ordered to transport massive sums of money under Duterte’s watch.
- Assassination Allegations: The committee has already issued subpoenas to the NBI for records on those wild statements from a 2024 press conference. You know, the one where she allegedly mentioned hiring someone to go after the President, First Lady, and House Speaker if anything happened to her.
- Confidential Funds: There’s a PHP 112.5 million hole in the budget from her time as Secretary of Education. Subpoenas are already flying for COA reports and internal vouchers.
Why this isn't just a political spat
Don't think for a second this is just about some financial irregularities. It’s a fight for survival. Duterte has already declared she’s running for President in 2028. If she gets impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate, she's disqualified from holding any public office. Ever. That's the real end goal here.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez aren't just looking for an audit; they're looking to dismantle a rival dynasty before the next election cycle begins. And honestly? It's working. Her trust ratings are taking a massive hit as these hearings drag on.
The 2028 factor
Most people don't realize how early the 2028 campaign has started. Duterte’s early announcement on February 18, 2026, was a preemptive strike. She’s trying to frame this impeachment as a purely political attack to stop her from winning the presidency. It’s a classic populist move. But as the House continues to subpoena her tax records from 2007 to 2025 and her SALNs from the Ombudsman, the "political persecution" narrative gets a lot harder to maintain if the numbers don't add up.
The Senate is the real battlefield
The House can pass these articles of impeachment with a one-third vote, and they probably will. But the Senate is where the real drama happens. After the 2025 midterms, the Senate is split. You've got Duterte loyalists and Marcos allies sitting side-by-side.
Twelve of those senators are newly elected, and they'll be the ones acting as judges. They aren't just looking at the evidence; they're looking at their own political futures. If the public sentiment swings back in favor of the Dutertes, those senators won't want to be on the side that kicked her out of office. It’s a delicate balance of power that keeps the entire government in a state of suspended animation.
Misconceptions about the one-year bar
There’s been a lot of confusion about the "one-year bar" rule in the Philippine Constitution. Basically, you can't file an impeachment complaint against the same official more than once a year. The Supreme Court had to step in earlier this year to clarify when that clock actually starts.
The Court ruled that the one-year ban for Duterte officially lapsed in early 2026, which is why we’re seeing this flurry of activity now. The House is moving with an urgency that suggests they don't want to give her any room to breathe before the next legislative session.
What you need to watch for next
The House Committee on Justice has set more hearings for April 14, 22, and 29. If Duterte continues to skip these, expect the committee to move even faster toward a plenary vote. They've already approved subpoenas for her tax records and the financial statements of companies linked to her family.
Keep a close eye on the following developments over the next few weeks:
- The NBI Report: Once the National Bureau of Investigation submits those records on the alleged assassination threats, the rhetoric will escalate.
- COA Testimonies: If the Commission on Audit confirms that confidential funds were mishandled, the "betrayal of public trust" charge becomes a lot easier to prove.
- Public Opinion Polls: Watch how the trust ratings move. If Duterte’s support holds steady despite the hearings, the Senate will be much more hesitant to convict.
This isn't a simple legal proceeding. It's a "political death match" for a reason. One side is going to walk away from this with their career intact, and the other side is going to be sidelined for a generation. If you're following this, stay focused on the evidence being subpoenaed from the BIR and SEC. That's where the real damage will be done, not in the shouting matches on the House floor.
