The Philippine House of Representatives has voted to advance impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte for a second time, a move that could jeopardize her widely anticipated presidential bid in 2028. This latest development propels the case to the Senate, where a conviction could bar her from holding public office.

Duterte, who is currently leading early surveys for the 2028 presidential race, faces allegations stemming from the misuse of public funds and making threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and the former House Speaker. This is not the first time the Vice President has faced such accusations; she was impeached on similar grounds in 2025, but that process was halted by the Supreme Court on a procedural technicality before reaching the Senate.

The case was revived this year, with a House committee recently finding sufficient grounds to proceed with impeachment. Duterte has dismissed the charges as politically motivated and has largely refused to participate in the hearings, describing the impeachment case as “nothing more than a scrap of paper.” Her legal team has stated that the onus is now on her accusers to prove their claims in accordance with the law.

The significant vote in the House, with 257 out of 290 lawmakers in attendance voting to impeach, demonstrates President Marcos Jr.’s considerable influence within the lower legislative chamber. However, the path forward in the Senate remains less certain. Senators, elected nationally and often viewing the chamber as a stepping stone to higher office, may approach the proceedings differently than district-based House members who tend to align more closely with the incumbent president. The political landscape, characterized by shifting alliances and patronage, makes the ultimate outcome of a Senate trial difficult to predict.