Sara, Don’t Run

Article by Kristan Gile — Beyond the Norms

The vice president would run for the presidency or a marathon. But the only thing she is good at is running from accountability.

In actuality, I have written numerous articles about the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte, starting last year when the House of Representatives  probed on her misused funds. Later on, the representatives overwhelmingly impeached the vice president. After long stretches of words and arguments on the impeachment case, we have seen that the VP camp is eager to delay the trial.

If our memory serves us right, in the first impeachment case, VP Duterte asked the Supreme Court to review the impeachment procedures of the House. She cried about lack of due process. She argued that the representatives did not allow her to express her side of the story. Moreover, the House swiftly agreed to the impeachment leaving no plenary hearings for the vice president. The constitution does not imply any formal hearings vis-a-vis impeachment in the lower chamber, for it is the job of the upper chamber to do the trial. The House itself is the initiator, and with enough signatures or votes, they can completely impeach an official. The Senate, on the other hand, can convene as the impeachment court and act as judges.

In the grand scheme of things, we did not witness that last year. Despite the daunting votes in the lower chamber to impeach the VP, the Senate under the rule of then-Senate President Francis Escudero, did whatever means to delay the convening of the impeachment court. To say the least, most of the Senators we have are pro-Duterte, including the senate president. While all of these are happening, Duterte already petitioned the Supreme Court to decide on the merits of her case. The high court affirmatively decided for her: calling the case void ab initio or void from the beginning. In the very first place, SC could have not intervened in the impeachment case. They, themselves, are impeachable officers. What a classic case of conflict of interest. But be reminded that we are in the Philippines.

With the Senate and the Supreme Court backing Duterte, Sara hypothetically won the case through the archival of the articles of impeachment. These institutions were used as Sara’s magical Nike sneakers to conveniently run from accountability. Ultimately, to delay the impeachment case from reaching its trial phase.

Last December, SC denied the motion for consideration filed by the House to counter their decision that the 2025 impeachment case is void. The high court reaffirmed its decision. This further cemented Duterte’s claim that the process was a foul play. However, the same decision allowed the House to accept new impeachment complaints earlier than the first week of February 2026. It also gave them the jurisdiction to conduct plenary hearings to determine the merits of the articles filed. Since SC said that the complaint must be read thoroughly, the House did their job on investigating the merits of the case. Although, the constitution does not even say that they need to overcomplicate the process. High-ranking officials, like the vice president, experience immunity from lawsuits. Hence, impeachment is made to be accessible to anyone who wants the official removed. With the SC ruling, it made the process tedious and circuitous. Nonetheless, the House obeyed and revised their rules. So, why is Duterte again crying for due process and procedural matters? She was the one who petitioned the SC to intervene with the process. The high court intervened in her favor. The House obeyed. Duterte ran again to the gods of Padre Faura.

Duterte lamented that the House is conducting a trial when they should not be. The lawyers representing the vice president argued that it is not the job of the lower chamber to subpoena witnesses and present evidence since this only applies to the impeachment court—the Senate for this matter. They are asking the SC to intervene again for the second time and release, perchance, a temporary restraining order to halt any hearings in the lower chamber. Duterte wanted due process. The hearings in the House would allow her to present her side of the argument and counter-examine the other side’s evidence and oral arguments. Duterte does not want to appear or even reply to the impeachment case. She now rejects the due process that she requested from the high court. The situation becomes self-contradictory: Duterte asked SC for due process. SC ordered House. They obeyed. Now, Duterte does not care. So, all the fuss about due process is for naught?

However, we can fully observe the pattern. It is the cycle of running from accountability. Sara, truthfully, does not want to begin the trial lest incriminating pieces of evidence ruin her run for the presidency. From their own narrative, bakit matatakot kung walang tinatago? Why be afraid when there is nothing to hide, VP? Since the 2028 National Elections nears, the Duterte camp knows well that it is just a matter of time. The more they exhaust legal remedies, the more the case will be delayed. This is not new when it comes to the Duterte strategy. This is the same tactic they are using to the other Duterte implicated in the Hague for crimes against humanity.

The cycle goes like this: 1) They will cry for not receiving due process, infringement of their rights. 2) Claim for incapability to attend hearing or trial. 3) File petitions to delay the process. The ultimate strategy for those who do not have one is to kill time, drag the issue, and pray that the concerned public will just get tired from it. That is the Duterte playbook in running from accountability. How ironic because they appear big when talking about it. But when faced with allegations that challenge their authority, they do not serve answers. They present ambiguity.

The SC should not become an instrument to Duterte’s stratagem. Above all else, they should be the one upholding justice and accountability. I know that they have a grudge with the impeachment process. The last high-ranking official, a chief justice, was impeached. It scarred their institution and reputation, after all. However, to bow with Sara’s conditions will do them no good. They will only prove to the public that they have betrayed themselves for nothing. 

Sara, don’t run. You will inevitably face the finish line.