The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte began Monday on charges of bribery, graft and other corruption.
Duterte is currently facing four articles of impeachment. The Philippine House of Representatives voted to impeach her in May with 257 votes in favor, with only 106 needed to impeach.
Under the Philippines Constitution, the Senate has the sole power to try all impeachment cases. A two-thirds majority is needed to convict. Since Duterte is not president, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines does not preside.
Deciding who is to preside began Monday’s proceedings. Two senators tried to block the election of the presiding officer. They argued the Senate President must preside. However, the House Prosecutors argued that the Senate sets its own rules. The block was unsuccessful.
Following that question, opening arguments began. Representative Jinky Luistro delivered the prosecution’s opening statement, calling the case “a story about power exercised without accountability, a story about public trust betrayed, a story about a public office that stopped answering to the public.”
She added that “if wealth was lawfully acquired, where was the lawful explanation? If transactions were proper, where is the complete accounting? If numbers truly add up, why do they refuse to reconcile?”
Defense attorney Sheila Sison brought up the number of votes Duterte received and accused the House of running a “mini trial” before the case reached the Senate. The defense stated that “justice includes fairness, without fairness there is abuse”
A possible conviction means removal from office along with disqualification from running for future offices. Criminal prosecution is possible, but not mandatory.