Marcos vs Duterte: Sara's Senate impeachment trial opens July 6
257 House votes, $110m in flagged transfers, and a trial that runs in parallel with the elder Duterte's ICC case at The Hague
Summary
The Marcos–Duterte feud reaches the Senate floor. Ferdinand Marcos Jr's allies in the House impeached Vice-President Sara Duterte a second time on 11 May 2026 — 257 votes — consolidating four complaints into one set of articles covering misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, and alleged threats against Marcos, the First Lady and former Speaker Romualdez; one allegation cites over $110m in transfers flagged by the anti-money-laundering body. The Senate trial opens 6 July, sitting afternoons Monday to Wednesday. It runs in parallel with the Philippines' deepest political rupture: Marcos last year surrendered former president Rodrigo Duterte to the Icc, where he awaits trial for crimes against humanity over the drug war, and ICC warrants reach into the Senate itself (Senator dela Rosa). Conviction would bar Sara from the 2028 presidency.
By the numbers
- 257 — House votes to impeach, 11 May 2026.
- $110m+ — transfers flagged by the anti-money-laundering council in one article.
- 6 July — Senate trial start date; ~2/3 vote needed to convict.
- 2028 — the presidential election a conviction would block Sara Duterte from contesting.
Why it matters
This is a dynastic contest for the post-Marcos succession dressed as a constitutional trial. A conviction removes Marcos's likeliest 2028 rival; an acquittal emboldens the Duterte camp. With the elder Duterte at The Hague, the family's political survival now hinges on the Senate vote.
What to watch
- Whether senators reach the two-thirds threshold to convict.
- Fallout from ICC warrants touching trial participants.
- Street mobilisation by both camps as the trial proceeds.