Prosecutors Drop Most Impeachment Charges Against Philippine VP Sara Duterte
Philippine prosecutors dropped most impeachment charges against Vice President Sara Duterte on October 13, 2026, narrowing her ongoing Senate trial to a single count of unexplained wealth that still threatens to block her 2028 presidential bid. The unexpected decision to abandon allegations of misused funds, bribery, and a death threat against President Ferdinand Marcos alters the trajectory of a months-long political battle in Manila.
The trial, which began on July 6, 2026, took a dramatic turn on its 39th day at the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. Chief prosecutor Gerville Luistro asked the tribunal to eliminate Articles 1, 3, and 4 from the Articles of Impeachment. Senator and presiding officer Francis Escudero approved the motion, stating those charges would no longer form part of the proceedings or be submitted to the court for a vote.
Senate Trial Narrows to Unexplained Wealth
The prosecution’s withdrawal leaves only the charge of unexplained wealth active against the vice president. Luistro told the tribunal that focusing on a single charge would ease the court’s workload and accelerate the conclusion of the trial. The prosecution had spent weeks presenting evidence on the now-dismissed counts before making the abrupt shift.
Despite dropping the misuse of funds, bribery, and assassination threats, Luistro maintained that the remaining evidence regarding undeclared assets required by law is substantial and compelling enough to remove Duterte from office. The Senate impeachment court recessed until November following the ruling.
Defense Lawyers Claim Prosecutorial Misconduct Violates Due Process
Chief defense lawyer Sheila Sison called the decision completely unfair, pointing out that the defense team had already put 14 witnesses on the stand to address charges that prosecutors subsequently abandoned. Michael Henry Yusingco, a senior research fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University Policy Center, told AFP that dropping the charges after presenting public evidence under them borders on prosecutorial misconduct and violates the respondent’s right to due process.
Before the court’s decision, Duterte held a press conference characterizing the proceedings as a persistent attempt at character assassination rather than a pursuit of accountability. Independent surveys indicate that Duterte continues to lead polling for the 2028 presidential election despite her impeachment by the House of Representatives.
Absent Senators Reduce Conviction Threshold to 14 Votes
The Senate previously ruled that only senator-judges capable of participating in the trial would count toward the two-thirds majority needed for conviction. Four senators loyal to the vice president are currently absent—two in jail, one in hiding, and another on extended medical furlough abroad—reducing the threshold to 14 votes.
If the Senate finds Duterte guilty of the remaining unexplained wealth charge when the trial resumes in November, she faces permanent disqualification from elected office, ending her presidential aspirations.
The Senate impeachment trial remains in recess until November, leaving open the question of whether the sole remaining charge of unexplained wealth will secure the 14 votes required for conviction or if the vice president will retain her eligibility for the 2028 presidential race.