Philippines VP Sara Duterte Seeks Senate Dismissal of Impeachment Case

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has formally asked the Senate to dismiss the impeachment case against her, arguing that it violates the constitutional one-year bar rule which prohibits more than one impeachment proceeding against the same official within a year. Duterte's legal team contends that the fourth impeachment complaint, which led to her impeachment in February, is invalid because prior complaints filed in December had already initiated impeachment proceedings, thus triggering the one-year bar. They also claim the complaint lacks substantive factual basis and is an abuse of the impeachment process. The Senate, after reviewing the matter, returned the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives, delaying the trial until the next Congress convenes. A conviction would require a two-thirds vote in the 24-member Senate and could result in Duterte's removal from office and disqualification from future public positions. Duterte remains a leading contender for the 2028 presidential election, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. constitutionally limited to a single six-year term.