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Philippines vice president Sara Duterte impeached for a second time
The Philippine House of Representatives impeached Vice-President Sara Duterte for a second time on grounds including alleged misuse of public funds and public threats against President Marcos, his wife and the former House speaker. The vote advances the process to a Senate trial where a conviction could disqualify her from public office, potentially affecting her 2028 presidential bid. Duterte had previously faced an impeachment attempt in 2025 that was blocked by the Supreme Court, and she has been leading early polls for the presidency.
Why It Matters
The impeachment could influence the 2028 presidential race and highlights shifting alliances in Philippine politics.
Timeline
7 Events
May 11, 2026: House impeaches Duterte for a second time; sends to Senate
May 11, 2026
The House voted to impeach Duterte for a second time on May 11, 2026, with 255 of 290 lawmakers in attendance voting to impeach, moving the case to the Senate for trial.
May 2026: House committee finds sufficient grounds to impeach Duterte
May 2026
Last week (early May 2026), a House committee reviewing the evidence against Duterte ruled there were sufficient grounds to impeach her.
March 2026: WR Numero poll shows Duterte leading by 17 points
March 2026
A March 2026 WR Numero poll showed Duterte leading her nearest rival by 17 points.
February 2026: Duterte announces presidential bid
February 2026
Duterte announced her intention to run for president in February 2026.
March 2025: ICC arrest authorization
March 2025
In March 2025, Marcos allowed the International Criminal Court to arrest Rodrigo Duterte and detain him at The Hague for crimes against humanity over the deaths in his war on drugs.
2025: Mid-term elections influence Senate alignments
2025
In the 2025 mid-term vote, half of the Senate was elected, and candidates allied with Duterte fared better than those aligned with Marcos' coalition.
2025: Supreme Court blocks impeachment on technicality
2025
The Supreme Court blocked Duterte's impeachment in 2025 on a technicality before the Senate trial could start.