Philippine Senate Sends Duterte Impeachment Back to House

Philippine Senate Returns Duterte Impeachment to House The Philippine Senate, acting as an impeachment court, voted on June 10, 2025 to return articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives. The decision, reached after hours of debate, was announced by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri. The vote was 18-5-0 in favor of returning the articles. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano played a key role, proposing an amendment to an initial motion to dismiss the case. "I move that we return the articles of impeachment to the House until such time that they certify to us that they did not violate the constitution," Senator Cayetano stated. His amendment was adopted by the Senate. The House of Representatives had originally filed the impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte on February 5, 2025. The charges included betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. The Senate's decision to return the articles to the House means the impeachment process will continue. Following the vote, Senate President Zubiri issued a writ of summons to Vice President Duterte, directing her to file her response within 10 days. The hearing has been adjourned to a later date. The event highlights the ongoing political tensions in the Philippines and the significant role of the Senate in the impeachment process.