Sara Duterte Faces New Impeachment, ICC Targets Ex-President

Vice President Sara Duterte has formally pleaded not guilty to a fourth impeachment complaint brought by the House of Representatives, arguing that the case is void for violating the constitutional one-year bar on multiple impeachment proceedings. Her legal team contends that the charges—including alleged assassination conspiracy, malversation of confidential funds, bribery, unexplained wealth, and other high crimes—lack substantive evidence and are politically motivated. The House voted to impeach Duterte in February 2025, and the Senate is now set to act as the impeachment court, with House prosecutors insisting the trial must proceed. The dispute underscores escalating political divisions ahead of the 2028 presidential election, with Duterte seen as a potential challenger to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s camp. Separately, former President Rodrigo Duterte is facing legal challenges, as the International Criminal Court's prosecutor seeks to deny him interim release over concerns of flight risk and witness intimidation. The case remains a major focal point in Philippine politics.