Philippines: Senate bounces VP Duterte impeachment papers back to the House, what it means

Manila: Buckle up — the Philippine Senate just floored the political telenovela to full blast.

On Tuesday, June 10, senators pulled a surprise twist: instead of diving into the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, they voted to send the complaint back to the House of Representatives. 

They say the 7 articles of impeachment submitted by the House might have some “constitutional infirmities” that need sorting.

This situation is unprecedented. And that's when two senators — Robinhood Padilla and Joel Villanueva, nearly came to blows.

What the majority of Senators voted on:

The 20th Congress’ term kicks off on June 30, 2025, with a new set of Congressmen and Senators.

Given what's transpired, are Philippine legislators staging an unscripted entertainment show or simply wasting taxpayers’ money?

Volatile moment

One thing's for sure: It marks a highly volatile moment in Philippine politics, even as the nation seeks for ways to move forward economically.

It also reveals the deepening rift between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte. 

It marks a deeper divide: There’s the 316-member House of Representatives, under the leadership of Martin Romualdez, the president’s cousin, moving to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, who has a shot at the presidency in 2028, and the 24-member Senate.

Here’s a breakdown of the key developments and their implications:

Senate halts impeachment trial — for now.

Earlier in the Senate debates, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa came in hot ready to dismiss the whole case outright. But his motion didn’t catch fire with colleagues. 

Instead, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano stepped in with a compromise:

“Let’s just return it.”

So, instead of a dramatic slam of the door, the Senate handed the articles back with a Post-it note saying:

“Dear House, kindly double-check if you broke the Constitution. And let us know if you still want to proceed.”

At this point, the Senate was not acting as an impeachment court, as the 1987 Constitution prescribes.

The 18 senators who voted for the return:

But not everyone’s buying it.

The Senate minority bloc, unimpressed by the decision, said “No” to the remand:

The 5 senators who opposed it, calling for the trial to proceed immediately:

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros criticised the move, saying the Constitution obligates the Senate to try the case, not return it.

Presider Senator Chiz Escudero, however, insisted that the move is not tantamount to a dismissal of the case. He also added: summons for Duterte have already been issued for a future trial.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte in February 2025 on serious charges:

The House formally filed against Vice President Sara Duterte on February 5, 2025, on the following grounds:

The impeachment has exacerbated tensions between the Marcos and Duterte camps. Sara Duterte is a likely contender for the 2028 presidential race, when Marcos’ term ends.

Her supporters say the impeachment is a political manoeuvre to derail her presidential ambitions.

More drama: The Duterte legacy

Constitutional law professors were quick to chime in: Prof. Paolo Tamase (UP College of Law, Chair of the Philippine Law Journal): “The Senate isn’t supposed to supervise the House. They’re equals. This move breaks the constitutional vibe — and opens the door to an endless ping-pong match between chambers.”

Prof. Dante Gatmaytan: “This isn’t even the Senate’s call. Only the Supreme Court can judge if the House violated the Constitution.”

What's next?

With the ball now bounced back to the House, here’s what the people are left with:

Tense moment

A tense moment erupted between Senators Robin Padilla and Joel Villanueva in the Senate plenary: During Tuesday’s debate, Senator Villanueva objected to the motion to dismiss, arguing the Senate wasn’t yet convened as an impeachment court.

Tempers flared when Senator Padilla, a staunch Duterte ally, defended the dismissal motion vigorously. He then stormed across the chamber and confronted Villanueva during a suspension of the session.

The confrontation got heated and physical: Padilla and Villanueva nearly came to blows before fellow senators rushed in to pull them apart.

After the storm

The drama didn’t end with thrown punches — Padilla later extended an olive branch, shaking hands and even giving Villanueva a hug, amid a group effort to calm things down.

He also offered an apology for letting emotions run high and crossing the line.

This near-fisticuff highlights just how emotionally charged the impeachment debate has become. Deep divisions have emerged, and it can get personal.

It shows politics in the Philippines is never dull.

Meanwhile, the real stuff — like patching up busted bridges, fixing pothole-packed roads, getting power to the provinces, and taming sky-high electric bills — is stuck in Manila's notorious traffic... way in the backseat, waving for attention.