BIG TEST FOR DUTERTE
Duterte is undergoing her biggest political test and faces a ban from holding office if convicted in the trial, which comes as her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, awaits his own trial at the ICC over his deadly “war on drugs”.
Sara Duterte, 47, is accused of misusing public funds, amassing unexplained wealth and threatening the lives of Marcos, the first lady and a former House speaker. She denies wrongdoing.
It is unclear when the trial will start. Marcos has distanced himself from her impeachment, saying it is a legislative matter.
Marcos and Duterte are both scions of powerful political families who ran together in the 2022 election. But cracks soon appeared in their alliance, leading to an acrimonious fallout and Marcos handing her father over to the ICC.
Analysts say the Senate leadership change triggered by dela Rosa’s return may have shifted the balance of power in a chamber that counts Duterte loyalists and aligned politicians among its 24 members, who will serve as jurors.
A conviction requires two-thirds support.
“Given that we now have a new majority, thanks to the efforts of Senator Bato, it would make prosecuting Vice President Sara in the impeachment court a little more difficult,” said Ederson Tapia, public administration professor at the University of Makati.
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