Defend Democracy, Not Destroy It: Why the Impeachment of VP Sara Duterte Must Be Thrown Into the Dustbin of History

 By: Atty. Arnedo S. Valera

What we are witnessing is not the exercise of constitutional checks and balances—but the blatant weaponization of the impeachment process to crush a duly elected Vice President, Sara Duterte, and strip the Filipino people of their sovereign right to choose their next President in 2028.

Let us be clear: this Fourth Impeachment Complaint against VP Sara Duterte should be denounced, rejected, and thrown into the garbage where it rightfully belongs. It is an insult to the Constitution, a mockery of legislative integrity, and a dangerous precedent for our democratic future.

The Senate Was Right to Remand the Articles of Impeachment

The Senate, acting as an impeachment court, did what was constitutionally right—it remanded the Articles of Impeachment to the House of Representatives. This is not obstruction of justice. It is the preservation of constitutional order.

The Philippine Constitution (Art. XI, Sec. 3) requires due process, deliberation, and maturity in the initiation and transmission of impeachment proceedings. This includes a valid determination by the House, not merely through a rubber-stamped resolution, but after full and transparent deliberations. What was done in the Lower House was a railroad job—no full debate, no genuine deliberation. It was a premeditated political ambush against the Vice President.

As held in Francisco v. House of Representatives (G.R. No. 160261, Nov. 10, 2003), impeachment is a constitutional mechanism, not a political weapon. And it must be conducted with integrity and respect for its sui generis nature—not used as a tool to pre-empt presidential ambitions.

This Is Not About Accountability—It Is Political Assassination

Let no one be deceived. This impeachment has nothing to do with accountability. There are no verified facts, no clear constitutional violations, and no established grounds under Art. XI, Sec. 2 of the 1987 Constitution. What we have instead is a political scheme—a targeted and treacherous move to disqualify the leading presidential contender in 2028.

In U.S. constitutional practice, impeachment is rare and grave. The Federalist Papers and U.S. Supreme Court rulings such as Nixon v. United States, 506 U.S. 224 (1993), emphasize that impeachment must not be abused for partisan gain. In the same vein, Philippine jurisprudence and legal tradition reject political persecution through impeachment.

What is unfolding is a perversion of our institutions. Congress is being hijacked and reduced to a political firing squad against a woman who, by virtue of mandate and service, continues to enjoy the trust of millions of Filipinos.

Functional Dismissal Is the Only Just Resolution

The constitutional life of this impeachment died when the 19th Congress ended. Any attempt to revive it in the 20th Congress without re-deliberation is constitutionally infirm and legally absurd. The Senate’s remand is not merely procedural—it is the correct functional dismissal of a complaint that was rushed, flawed, and motivated by political extermination, not public interest.

We must call this what it is: an assault on democracy, a cowardly attempt to silence the will of the people, and to forcibly remove VP Sara Duterte from the political playing field because her popularity terrifies her opponents.

This Is Treachery, Not Oversight

The Filipino people must understand: this is not governance. This is political betrayal. A betrayal led by forces who claim to uphold democratic values but in truth seek to deny the people of their right to choose in 2028.

The impeachment circus is the result of an anti-Duterte cabal—supported by ideological forces, political elites, and even foreign interests—hell-bent on erasing every trace of the Duterte legacy. They failed to beat them at the polls. Now, they want to beat them by manipulating the institutions of the Republic.

Call to Action: Defend the Right to Choose

To every Filipino, in the homeland and across the seas—reject this political prostitution. Denounce the opportunists who are turning our Congress into a partisan war machine.

We call on the new members of Congress and the Senate: rise above the political noise and do the job you were elected to do—craft laws for the welfare of our people, not destroy democracy from within.

Let us all unite and raise our voices:
We will not allow VP Sara Duterte to be destroyed by ambition and treachery. We will not allow our votes to be nullified by political maneuvering. We will not allow the Constitution to be desecrated in the name of partisan vengeance.

Defend the Constitution. Defend Democracy. Defend the People’s Right to Choose.

Let history remember that the Filipino nation stood firm—when the powerful sought to silence one of us, we stood as one.

Tapang at malasakit. Para sa Bayan. Para sa Katotohanan. Para sa Kinabukasan.

About the Author:

Atty. Arnedo S. Valera is the executive director of the Global Migrant Heritage Foundation and managing attorney at Valera & Associates, a US immigration and anti-discrimination law firm for over 32 years. He holds a master’s degree in International Affairs and International Law and Human Rights from Columbia University and was trained at the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws from Ateneo de Manila University. He is a professor at San Beda Graduate School of Law (LLM Program), teaching International Security and Alliances. Rev. Valera is also an ordained evangelical minister, non-denominational. #