Balanced Senate Panel to Decide Vice President Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Trial
The upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will be overseen by a Senate panel composed of a “balanced” mix of political allies representing President Marcos, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and former Vice President Leni Robredo. This composition aims to reflect the diverse political landscape following the 2025 mid-term elections.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Iloilo’s 3rd district representative, one of the 11 House prosecutors, shared insights on how the new Senate lineup influences the impeachment process. The May 12 Senate elections saw victories for candidates backed by the Marcos-led Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate, the pro-Duterte faction, and several personalities aligned with Robredo.
“Merong Alayansa, nasa grupo ng Alyansa. Meron din naman na sa hanay ng ating pangulong Duterte at sa hanay ng ating Vice President. Meron din naman sa hanay ng mga dating kakampi ni vice president Leni Robredo na tulad ko,” the representative stated.
Political Dynamics Shaping the Impeachment Process
The official emphasized the importance of maintaining balance within the Senate panel to ensure public trust and avoid allegations of bias. “Gustong gusto ko na balanse para mas madaling tanggapin ng taong bayan at hindi sabihin na iluto natin ang desisyon ng Senado sa impeachment court,” they said.
Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of the former president, faces removal from her position if the House prosecutors can persuade two-thirds of the 24 senator-judges to convict her. The fresh group of senators elected in the recent polls has made the impeachment trial more unpredictable.
“Ayaw natin pangunahan ang kanilang pag-iisip, how they will vote. But we cannot avoid saying ang isang impeachment trial is a political process. It’s purely a political act at hindi may iiwasan na may kampihan at ang bangayan sa impeachment trial ay magdadala kung saan nakapanig ang konsensya ng isang senator-judge,” the congressman explained.
Implications of a Balanced Senate Panel
The representative concluded that the election results have created an excellent balance among senators, which could positively influence the fairness of the impeachment trial. “So sa tingin kung ayon sa resulta ng election for Senator, napakaganda kasi balanse ang mga Senador na inihalal ng mga taumbayan,” they added.
This balanced composition is expected to reflect the electorate’s diverse views and add credibility to the Senate’s final decision in the impeachment proceedings.
For more news and updates on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, visit Filipinokami.com.