Could the impeachment threshold reshape the fight over Sara Duterte’s political future

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 11, 2026

Photo Courtesy: Ezra Cacayan

PHILIPPINES – Vice President Sara Duterte is putting the focus back on the 1987 Constitution as the Senate impeachment trial moves toward a crucial stage.

Duterte said constitutional provisions must be followed when determining the threshold needed to convict an impeached official, stressing that the rules should guide the Senate as it weighs the case against her.

Under the Constitution, conviction in an impeachment trial requires the votes of two thirds of all senators, making the numbers in the Senate crucial to the outcome of the proceedings.

The issue comes as senators prepare to assess the evidence and arguments presented during the trial, with the possibility of conviction or acquittal resting on whether either side can secure the required votes.

For Duterte, the constitutional threshold is more than a matter of numbers. It could ultimately determine whether she remains in office or faces removal and disqualification from holding public office.

As the trial enters another critical phase, the debate is increasingly shifting from the allegations themselves to a fundamental question of the impeachment process: will the constitutional rules ultimately decide Sara Duterte’s political fate?