POLITICAL BOMBSHELL: Senators Hontiveros and Pimentel Push to Open VP Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Trial — Senate Faces Crucial Test

MANILA, Philippines – June 9, 2025 | By ABS-CBN News

In what could become a pivotal moment in Philippine political history, Deputy Minority Leader Senator Risa Hontiveros announced Monday that she and Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III will formally move to initiate the opening rites for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. The announcement, made during a press briefing just hours before the Senate’s plenary session, marks the most direct challenge yet to the vice presidency in the post-Duterte era.

Describing the move as “a matter of constitutional responsibility,” Hontiveros emphasized that the Senate must now take action after months of mounting public pressure, political controversy, and growing legal questions surrounding Vice President Duterte’s conduct in office.

⚖️ Senators Take a Stand

“We cannot delay any longer,” Hontiveros said, addressing members of the press at the Senate building. “The Articles of Impeachment have been transmitted to the Senate. Our duty is clear. We are bound by the Constitution to try the case.”

Senator Pimentel, who leads the minority bloc alongside Hontiveros, is expected to deliver a formal motion on the Senate floor later today to commence the preliminary procedures for the impeachment trial — procedures that include forming the impeachment court, notifying the respondent (VP Duterte), and laying down trial rules.

“This is not about politics,” Hontiveros added. “This is about justice, truth, and accountability.”

📜 The Background: Impeachment Complaint Against VP Sara Duterte

The impeachment complaint, originally filed in the House of Representatives earlier this year, accuses Vice President Duterte of “gross misconduct, betrayal of public trust, and violation of the Constitution.”

Among the allegations:

Improper use of public funds linked to confidential and intelligence expenses.

Obstruction of oversight investigations.

Politicization of the Office of the Vice President through questionable appointments and activities.

Alleged interference in education policy, given Duterte’s concurrent role as Secretary of Education.

The House transmitted the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate last month following an intensely divided vote. Although President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has remained largely silent on the issue, some of his key allies have publicly urged the Senate to act cautiously.

🧭 The Road Ahead: What Happens Now?

If the motion filed by Hontiveros and Pimentel is adopted by the Senate majority, the impeachment court will be formally convened. The Senate President, Juan Miguel Zubiri, would then assume the role of presiding officer (unless the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is called in, depending on the nature of the charges).

The Senate will then be constitutionally required to sit as an impeachment court — a quasi-judicial body with the power to remove high-ranking officials from office.

The trial would proceed with opening statements, presentation of evidence by the prosecution and defense, cross-examinations, and closing arguments. A two-thirds vote of all senators is required to convict and remove the Vice President from office.

🚨 Political Fallout: Allies and Critics React

The announcement by Hontiveros and Pimentel has intensified already tense dynamics in the Senate and across the broader political arena. Several senators aligned with the Duterte camp have criticized the move as “politically motivated,” while reform-oriented lawmakers and watchdog groups hailed it as a long-overdue assertion of legislative independence.

Senator Imee Marcos, sister of the president and a known ally of Sara Duterte, questioned the timing and motives behind the push. “We must not allow the Senate to become a circus. We must uphold due process, not trial by publicity,” she said.

But Senate Minority members remain undeterred.

“This is not about settling scores,” Senator Pimentel told reporters. “This is about the integrity of the Vice Presidency and the public’s right to truth.”

Outside Congress, civil society groups such as Bayan Muna, Akbayan, and various academic coalitions have expressed support for the trial, calling it a “test of democracy.”

🔥 Public Pressure Builds

Today’s announcement comes amid increasing public demand for action on the impeachment complaint. Mass protests have taken place in recent weeks, with demonstrators marching to the Senate grounds holding placards with messages like “No One Is Above the Law” and “Sara Must Answer the People.”

An SWS survey conducted last week revealed that 63% of Filipinos believe the Senate should begin the impeachment trial “immediately.” Only 18% said the trial should be postponed, while 19% were undecided.

Legal experts have warned, however, that public opinion — while powerful — must not override due process. “Senators must act not as politicians, but as impartial judges,” said Atty. Francis Javier, a constitutional law professor at UP Diliman.

📌 What’s at Stake?

If convicted, Vice President Duterte could be permanently removed from office and barred from holding public office again — a move that would dramatically reshape the country’s political landscape ahead of the 2028 national elections.

Such an outcome could also strain the Marcos-Duterte alliance that brought both leaders to power under the UniTeam banner in 2022.

But if acquitted, Duterte may emerge politically stronger, with her base emboldened and her critics weakened.

Either way, the outcome of the impeachment trial is likely to have long-term consequences for governance, party dynamics, and public trust in democratic institutions.

👁️ All Eyes on the Senate

As the Senate prepares for what could become one of its most consequential trials since the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012, political observers note that the upper chamber is facing a true moment of reckoning.

“Whatever the verdict, this trial will define the character of the 19th Congress,” said political analyst Ramon Casiple. “Will they uphold accountability — or protect their own?”

✒️ Final Word

With Senator Risa Hontiveros and Senator Koko Pimentel moving to formally open the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the Philippine Senate now stands at the crossroads of law and loyalty.

What unfolds in the coming days could determine not just the fate of a vice president — but the strength of Philippine democracy itself.

As Filipinos brace for a historic proceeding, one thing is certain: the nation is watching.