Impeachment Trial Looms for Sara Duterte-Carpio: A Look at the Latest Developments
If more than one-third of the lower house supports her impeachment, the Senate will have to hold a trial with its members acting as jurors. Sara Duterte-Carpio is the leading candidate to succeed the current president, as her former ally Marcos is limited to one term. She has expressed regret for her role in Marcos' rise to power in 2022. Duterte-Carpio has denied any wrongdoing and her legal team has criticized the impeachment petition as flawed. The vote on her impeachment is scheduled for Monday, as confirmed by House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil and representative Leila de Lima.
If more than one-third of the lower house supports her impeachment, the Senate will have to hold a trial with its members acting as jurors. If Duterte-Carpio is convicted, she could be removed from office and banned from politics. Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla Jnr announced that former police chief Ronald dela Rosa would be summoned for questioning as part of a new investigation into Duterte's anti-drug campaigns. Dela Rosa, now a senator, has not appeared in the Senate since last November amid reports of a possible arrest by the International Criminal Court.
The lower house previously voted to impeach Duterte-Carpio, but the Supreme Court overturned the decision due to a procedural error. Three other high-ranking officials have faced impeachment, with an ombudsman and an election commission head resigning before their trials. Former Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona is the only one who has been convicted so far.