Vice President Sara Duterte has flown to the Netherlands, a country in Europe, just before something very serious happens to her — her impeachment trial. This is a special kind of trial where leaders are checked if they did something wrong while in office.
She arrived in Amsterdam, a big city in the Netherlands, on Wednesday. She wasn’t alone — Senator Imee Marcos came with her. That’s important because Senator Imee will be one of the judges in Sara’s trial.
Why Did VP Sara Go to the Netherlands?
VP Sara said earlier this week that she was going to the Netherlands to visit her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. He is not free right now — he’s being held at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, a city in the Netherlands. She wanted to see him again and also celebrate her 47th birthday with other Filipinos who support their family. The celebration will happen right in front of the ICC building.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines…
While VP Sara is out of the country, the Senate — where the trial will happen — is getting everything ready. They’ve already set up the rooms and made sure that the robes for the senator-judges are the right size.
Originally, the trial was supposed to start with a reading of the charges on June 2. But since VP Sara would still be in Europe on that day, Senate President Chiz Escudero said they moved the reading to June 11.
The trial will happen at the Senate in a big hall. People from the media and even regular citizens will be allowed to watch. They even took out an old witness stand from a museum — this was used during the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada way back in 2000. Now, it will be used again!
What Happens If the Senate Changes?
The current group of senators — called the 19th Congress — will stop working on June 13, and a new group, the 20th Congress, will start on July 28, the same day the President gives the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Some people are wondering: If the group of senators changes, can the trial still continue?
Senator-elect Tito Sotto asked this question. But others said yes, the trial can continue even with new senators. One of the prosecutors, Lorenz Defensor, explained it like this: If a judge in a regular court retires or is replaced, the case doesn’t stop — it continues. The same should happen in VP Sara’s impeachment.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian added that the Senate is like a “continuing body” — meaning half of the senators stay the same while the other half can change. That’s why there are always 12 old senators and 12 new ones. So, the trial should keep going no matter what.
Senator Joel Villanueva agreed and said the impeachment court still works even if there are new members. But he also said that VP Sara might bring this issue to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country. For now, the senators plan to talk more about it next month.
