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Philippines advances Sara Duterte impeachment case, but ‘this is not a cakewalk’
A failed Senate conviction could ultimately strengthen Duterte-Carpio ahead of the presidential 2028 race, observers warn
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Philippine lawmakers have moved two impeachment complaints against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio a step closer to formal proceedings, advancing a case that could ultimately threaten her political future as a potential contender for the presidency in 2028.
The drawn-out process also carries political risks for both camps, with some lawmakers arguing that a failed Senate conviction could ultimately strengthen Duterte-Carpio ahead of the 2028 race.
The House of Representatives’ justice committee on Wednesday voted – with only one dissent – to declare the third and fourth impeachment complaints against Duterte-Carpio “sufficient in substance”, allowing the process to move forward and requiring the vice-president to formally respond.
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The case unfolds against the backdrop of a deepening political rupture between Duterte-Carpio and President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whose alliance swept them to power in 2022 but has since collapsed into a bitter feud.
A conviction in a Senate impeachment trial would remove Duterte-Carpio from office and disqualify her from holding future public posts, potentially derailing any presidential bid.
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Even so, opposition Liberal Party congressman Edgar Erice said the road to impeachment would be far from straightforward.
“This is not a cakewalk. This is not easy,” Erice said in an interview on Thursday.
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