Romeena Minor

Sara Duterte’s impeachment dilemma is one that is better off settled sooner rather than later. Leave no room for delay; let the indicted pay. Not later, not never. Now.


On February 5, the House of Representatives formally impeached Vice President Sara Duterte, with 215 of 306 lawmakers in support of the impeachment articles to be submitted to the Senate, which will serve as the trial court for the case. This decision was made only after five long months since the House first made an inquiry regarding Duterte’s alleged misuse of public funds during her short-lived tenure as the education secretary as well as her reign at the Office of the Vice President, which she failed to address. Although several months late, the lower House’s verdict was much better than none at all.

While Duterte’s impeachment at the House is one thorn off my throat, breathing freely is still not an option, especially not with the knowledge that the Senate, the body to serve as the trial court for her impeachment prospects, tends to be friendly towards the indicted. 

Senate President Chiz Escudero has repeatedly justified the evident delay in Duterte’s impeachment trial. He asserts that he is stern on sticking to his given timetable—in late July—and on not requesting any special sessions from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for it is unnecessary and unconstitutional to do otherwise, as Escudero deems it. Although, admittedly, these are admirable as they prove his being impartial, these are just as much to question as they are to commend; because why be indifferent in delaying the delivery of justice to millions of wronged Filipinos?

Lawyer Howard Calleja pointed out Escudero’s constitutional breach for prematurely adjourning the Senate’s session, with two more days left in its legislative calendar. He argues that such an act is an apparent disregard for Duterte’s high-level corruption. Furthermore, he left a thought-provoking question, which I, too, subsequently sought the answer to: “You are a lawyer, and ‘forthwith’ is a simple English term. Who are you loyal to?”

Disappointingly, Escudero is only one of the thousands of Filipinos who remain blindly loyal to the deceptive second-in-charge. Duterte’s supporters passionately claimed that the impeachment did not follow the state’s rules of verification, was devoid of due process, and was, overall, wrongfully performed. Moreover, a religious group performed a Rally for Peace, which was aimed at discouraging the pursuit of Duterte’s impeachment. 

Although these initiatives by the people are capable of evoking resentment, it is crucial to understand that the true evil is not in the Filipinos’ blind loyalty but in the perilous yet effective manipulation of Duterte. Her bold choice to sin against the people—by the unconstitutional use of P612.5 million public funds, by failing to heed her sworn duties, and by not even being a bit sorry—should speak volumes on where we all should be on her impeachment prospect.

When in doubt whether or not Duterte deserves to be eternally banned from public office, simply keep in mind the number of Filipino students whose quality of education had been stripped of good by a Duterte-led DepEd; the number of Filipino families who have been set to benefit from the OVP’s programs but never truly did; and the public trust that has been deliberately and unashamedly betrayed by our pretentious, malignant, and self-serving ‘kaibigan’. 

But then again, sure, the impeachment trial must be held in late July so as to give way for due process and the 2025 Midterm Elections. But, as early as today, we must arrive at a decision, and that decision must be for the people. Let justice not be elusive. Leave no room for delay; let the indicted pay—now.