Sara Duterte's trial begins, senators sworn in as jurors

Philippine senators were sworn in as jurors on Tuesday in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, who faces a lifetime political ban if convicted of high crimes and betraying the public trust.

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

A likely contender to be the next president, Sara, 47, was impeached in February by the lower house of Congress.

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

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

The senators were sworn in as jurors on Tuesday with speaker as the presiding officer.

A two-thirds majority is required to convict Sara, which would kill off her hopes of running for the presidency in 2028.

She is expected to be summoned to appear at the trial and will have IO days to respond to the charges.