Vice President Sara Duterte is facing an impeachment trial in Manila over an alleged plot to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The proceedings represent a critical constitutional crisis in the Philippines. The trial tests the stability of the current administration and the legal boundaries between the nation's two highest elected officials.
The Senate impeachment court convened on July 22, 2026 [1]. While some reports identify the proceedings as Day 9 [1], other coverage describes the session as Day 10 [2]. The trial focuses on Article IV of the impeachment complaint, which alleges that Duterte engaged in grave threats, and incitement to sedition against the president [2].
Prosecutors said the vice president participated in a conspiracy to remove President Marcos Jr. from power through illegal means [2]. The trial is currently examining evidence related to these threats and the alleged assassination plot [2].
During the proceedings, reports indicated the cross-examination of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief [2]. This testimony is intended to clarify the evidence gathered by federal investigators regarding the alleged conspiracy. The Senate court is tasked with determining if these actions constitute high crimes or misdemeanors sufficient for removal from office.
Legal representatives for the vice president said they contested the validity of the charges. The trial remains ongoing as the Senate evaluates the testimony and the evidence presented by the prosecution [1], [2].
“Vice President Sara Duterte is facing an impeachment trial in Manila over an alleged plot to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.”
This impeachment trial marks a definitive collapse of the political alliance between the Duterte and Marcos families. If the Senate convicts the Vice President, it would lead to her immediate removal from office, potentially shifting the balance of power in the Philippine government and creating a vacuum in the second-highest executive position.
