Senate convenes as impeachment court to try Vice-President Duterte

THE PHILIPPINE Senate on Tuesday convened as an impeachment court after senators took their oath as jurors to try Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, who faces a lifetime political ban if convicted of high crimes and betraying the public trust.

- By Adrian H. Halili

The trial could be a pivotal moment in Philippine politics by not only making or breaking Ms. Duterte, but also carrying big implications for President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and his agenda for the remaining three years of his presidency and beyond.

A likely contender to be the next president, Ms. Duterte, 47, was impeached in February by the House of Representatives.

She denies all the accusations, from budget anomalies to amassing unusual wealth and threatening the lives of Mr. Marcos, his wife and the Speaker.

"We stand ready to confront the charges and expose the baselessness of the accusations," her office said in a statement on Tuesday.

The upper chamber convened as an impeachment court after Senator Ronald "Bato" M. Dela Rosa, a Duterte-ally, moved for the Senate to scrap the impeachment trial.

"I respectfully move that in view of its constitutional infirmities and questions on the jurisdiction and authority of the 20th Congress, the verified impeachment complaints against the (Vice President) be dismissed," he said in a privilege speech.