VP Duterte need only be convicted of 1 of 7 articles of impeachment to be removed, banned from public service

VICE President Sara Duterte faces seven Articles of Impeachment, and conviction on any single article would result in her removal from office and perpetual disqualification from holding any public position.

This is according to Manila Representative Ernix Dionisio, who added: “As far as we know, yes, as long as you’re guilty of one. Kasi you can, pwede kang magsampa ng impeachment complaint with just one article. So one should be sufficient.”

The impeachment complaint against Duterte includes allegations such as plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., misuse of confidential funds and others.

When asked about the arrangement of the articles, Dionisio clarified, “Actually in all honesty, ‘yung pagkaka-arrange ng mga articles of impeachment, I don’t think hindi naman ‘yan ‘yung mababa, pataas eh. I think all basis, all articles are equally important.”

Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union emphasized the gravity of the first article, which pertains to the alleged assassination threat.

“Para sa akin kasi, personal take on this. Pinakamabigat po talaga sa akin ‘yung active threat na ‘yun. The threat to kill the President, the First Lady, the Speaker, para sa akin napakabigat nun. Bad po yun eh,” Ortega said.

The impeachment process allows for two primary penalties upon conviction: removal from office and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

“In any impeachment case na dadaan sa Senado as an impeachment court, dalawa lang po kasi ‘yung mangyayari ‘dun, it’s either guilty or not guilty. Now when the individual accused is guilty, yung nabanggit niyo ang magiging sanction o ang tatanggapin niya,” Dionisio explained.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, 2025, with 240 lawmakers supporting the motion, surpassing the required one-third vote.

The Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court to try the case against the Vice President.

A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate is necessary to convict and remove the Vice President from office.

If convicted, Duterte would be the first Vice President in Philippine history to be removed through impeachment.