Philippine Vice President's Impeachment Trial to Begin, Showdown Between Two Major Families Intensifies

(CNA, Manila, May 17) According to Philippine media reports, the Senate will formally form an impeachment court tomorrow afternoon to try the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, intensifying the showdown between the Philippines' two major political families. The Philippine Star reported today, citing a memorandum issued by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on the 15th, that the Senate will commence impeachment trial-related procedures on the 18th, with all senators required to attend in judicial robes. The House of Representatives, on the other hand, voted to impeach Sara Duterte on the 11th. According to the Philippine Constitution, the Senate will be converted into an impeachment court, with all senators serving as judges, while the House will form an 11-member prosecution team to present the charges and evidence. The articles of impeachment accuse Sara of misusing confidential funds, bribing government officials, issuing an assassination threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and possessing unexplained wealth. If the impeachment court convicts her, Sara will be removed from the vice presidency and perpetually disqualified from holding public office. On the same day the House voted on the impeachment, the Senate leadership suddenly changed, with Cayetano elected as the new Senate President. Cayetano is considered closer to the Duterte family, but he has denied that this is a political maneuver intended to delay the impeachment proceedings. The vice presidential impeachment case is seen by outsiders as a major showdown between the Marcos and Duterte political families, and the trial process is expected to be accompanied by high-level political maneuvering and public opinion battles. The outcome of the trial will not only affect the rise and fall of the two families' power but could also trigger a realignment of local factions and congressional forces. Observers generally believe that if Sara successfully survives the impeachment, she will become a strong contender for the 2028 presidential election. Amid escalating South China Sea disputes and geopolitical competition, the outcome of the presidential election could influence the direction of the Philippines' foreign and security policies and affect Manila's interactions with Washington and Beijing. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150517