Sawt Falasteen - Philippines swears in senators for VP Duterte's impeachment trial

Sixteen votes in the 24-seat Senate would be needed to convict the daughter of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, an outcome that seems unlikely as the chamber is packed with her allies.

The Senate court has yet to set the trial dates, but ordered the charges be provided to Vice President Duterte.

The 47-year-old was impeached or formally accused by a large majority of the House of Representatives last week of graft charges and an alleged assassination plot against former ally President Ferdinand Marcos.

Under the Philippine constitution, an impeachment triggers a trial in the Senate, where a guilty verdict on any of the charges would see her removed and banned from elected office for life.

The vice president has declared her candidacy for president in the 2028 election.

The 23 senators present donned maroon velvet robes Monday and swore to "do impartial justice according to the constitution and the laws of the Philippines" at the trial.

Ronald Dela Rosa was the only senator not present as he evades an International Criminal Court arrest warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity for his role in ex-president Duterte's deadly drug crackdown.

Duterte ally and Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, the chief judge, ordered the written charge sheet delivered to the defendant, requiring her to submit her reply within 10 calendar days.

"She is directed to appear before the session hall of the Senate of the Philippines upon notice," Cayetano added.

Duterte swept to victory as the running mate of Ferdinand Marcos in 2022, but the alliance was broken last year when Marcos had her father arrested and turned over to the ICC where he now awaits trial over his deadly drug war.

E.AbuRizq--SF-PST