Philippine lawmakers on Monday overwhelmingly backed the impeachment of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, setting the stage for a trial in the Senate that could end her hopes for a presidential run in 2028.
The petition was backed by 255 of 318 lawmakers on Monday, surpassing the one-third threshold required.
A House justice committee had last month found probable cause for her impeachment in a petition from activists accusing her of misusing public funds, accumulating unexplained wealth and threatening the lives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, his wife and the former House speaker.
Advertisement
With her ally-turned-enemy Marcos limited by the constitution to a single term in office, Duterte-Carpio is the clear favourite to succeed him in 2028, but the impeachment could derail her bid.
She denies wrongdoing, and her legal team has described the impeachment effort as defective and a “fishing expedition”.
The Senate must convene a trial with its members as jurors. Duterte-Carpio faces removal from office and a ban from politics if convicted.