Duterte Coalition Launch, Impeachment Vote Ahead

SunStar Philippines

Join us on Beyond the Headlines as the House of Representatives is set to vote on the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte after the Committee on Justice found probable cause, with the case potentially moving to the Senate for trial.  Hundreds of Duterte supporters also gathered in Cebu for a Visayas coalition launch ahead of the key political development.  Stay informed as we track the latest developments shaping Cebu and the nation.

Transcript

00:30Good afternoon, I'm DJ Moises and this is Beyond the Headlines.

00:33Today we focus on stories making noise across Cebu and the country,

00:38from politics and public accountability to community advisories that directly affect everyday Filipinos.

00:45We begin with the launch of a new political coalition in Cebu,

00:49led by supporters of the Duterte family as the House prepares for a crucial impeachment vote

00:55against Vice President Sara Duterte.

00:58What could these developments mean?

01:02We will also bring you a public advisory on the scheduled eight-hour power interruption

01:08affecting parts of Minglanilia this coming Wednesday.

01:12Stay with us as we go beyond the headlines.

01:15Now let's begin.

01:16Duterte supporters launched Rage Coalition in Visayas.

01:23Hundreds of Duterte supporters gathered at Casino Español de Cebu on Sunday, May 10, that was yesterday,

01:31for the Visayas launch of the Reform Alliance for Accountability, Good Governance and Ethics, or Rage Coalition.

01:40The alliance, led by Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, brings together civic organizations, grassroots movements,

01:50and political groups calling for accountability, governance reform, and democratic protection.

01:57Duterte currently serves as the national president of PDP Laban.

02:02He officially assumed the role in April of 2026.

02:08Organizers said the coalition is composed of 111 groups from across the Visayas,

02:15alongside national political organizations, including Partido Democrático Pilipino, Partido Reforma, and Reform PH.

02:25The gathering happened just a day before the House of Representatives of the Philippines was set to deliberate and vote

02:34on the articles of impeachment against Sara Duterte.

02:38During his speech, Sebastian Duterte criticized what he described as a political culture driven by money and transactions,

02:47saying many of the country's problems continue because governments have become focused on personal and political interests.

02:55According to organizers, the alliance aims to push for accountability over corruption and alleged misuse of public funds,

03:05address the rising cost of living, defend democratic institutions,

03:10and protect citizens and organizations from alleged abuse of government power.

03:16Organizers also said the launch aimed to strengthen coordination among Visayas groups

03:23as a part of a broader movement focused on accountability, participation, and governance reform.

03:31So I actually was able to see the report regarding this yesterday.

03:40And from the photos, I could see that Congressman Kiko Barzaga was in the gathering,

03:46as well as Attorney Guanzón, and both of them guested in Beyond the Headlines.

03:53Now, in my opinion, the reason why gatherings like this could be important for the Duterte supporters

04:03because Visayas and Mindanao are actually said to be where most of the votes come 2028

04:18that are forecasted to be in favor of the vice president.

04:23As we know, she already declared that she would run for the presidency come 2028.

04:30Now, data will tell us also that Cebu has around 3.4 million registered voters.

04:38So that will tell us that Cebu is a crucial piece of the component for anybody who is running for

04:47national office,

04:49such as the vice president or the president, the senators.

04:53So this is an important area.

04:55So that could be the reason that the launch was specifically held here in Cebu yesterday.

05:03The other thing also I mentioned earlier that Visayas and Mindanao are important areas

05:10for the candidacy of Vice President Sara Duterte for presidency come 2028.

05:16Because if we look at the survey, there's already an observable decline in terms of her popularity.

05:24I don't necessarily have the numbers, but when it's a fight between her and Senator Tulfo,

05:31it's supposed to be a tie.

05:34And the same survey would also say that former Vice President Lenny Robredo is also catching up in the survey.

05:43But what's telling also, if we look at the survey, because while the vice president's popularity

05:49based on the survey is decreasing, she remains to be a formidable contender

05:56based on the survey in Visayas and also Mindanao.

06:02So the reason, in my opinion, why the launch need to be also held here,

06:08aside from Cebu being vote-rich, it's also to produce a statement.

06:13Because later, and I will read that also in the upcoming second story,

06:18the House of Representatives will be voting for the impeachment.

06:24The plenary will be voting for the impeachment.

06:28And Forecast would actually say, and details on that later,

06:31that it's very likely for the articles of impeachment to be voted by one-third of the House

06:39and eventually sent to the Senate.

06:41And if you recall what I just said earlier,

06:44Visayas and Mindanao are pro-Sara Duterte, largely, based on the survey.

06:51So this could also spell a difference on how the senators will eventually vote for the impeachment.

06:59So the other thing also, specific to this one, is Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte,

07:08or Buster Duterte's role is also expanding.

07:11So he's no longer just the acting mayor of Davao City,

07:16but he already assumed as the national president for BDP Laban.

07:20So it would be an interesting measure eventually when the House will vote for or against the impeachment,

07:29because we can also track the PDP Laban representatives,

07:38the congressmen who are with PDP Laban,

07:41we can actually track also later the influence,

07:45his influence with his party mates,

07:47whether they would vote pro or against.

07:51So interesting pieces of development here.

07:55The other thing that we have to remember,

07:58that the impeachment is not only a constitutional exercise,

08:03it's in fact, a lot of people would say it's largely a political exercise.

08:11Now, well, it's both constitution and political,

08:13but at the end of the day, if we are to look at the weight of how it's going,

08:18it's largely a political rather than constitutional process.

08:25So it's going to be interesting how the impact of the Rage Coalition launched yesterday

08:32in the Visayas and Mindanao,

08:34and how the House of Representatives will vote on the articles of impeachment later today.

08:41So now, that said, let's move to that particular story.

08:45So the House is set to vote on Sara Duterte's impeachment later today.

08:50The House of Representatives of the Philippines is set to vote

08:54on the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte

08:58following weeks of hearings and deliberations by the Committee on Justice.

09:05Lawmakers are set to vote today on the Committee on Justice report

09:09finding probable cause in the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

09:14If approved, the articles of impeachment will be transmitted to the Senate for trial.

09:20Justice Panel Chair Congresswoman Gerbil Luistro said

09:26the Committee is prepared to defend its findings and evidence before the plenary.

09:32The Committee on Justice earlier voted unanimously to approve the impeachment report.

09:39Under the Constitution, at least 106 votes are needed

09:44for the impeachment complaint to move forward to the Senate.

09:48The four articles of impeachment include allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds,

09:55unexplained wealth, and questionable bank transaction,

09:59alleged bribery during Duterte's term as Education Secretary,

10:04and her controversial remarks in 2024 against President Ferdinand Marcos and other officials.

10:11The outcome of today's vote will determine whether the case proceeds to a Senate impeachment trial.

10:18So, as I've mentioned earlier, later this afternoon is another interesting part of Philippine history.

10:25Because if the House of Representatives will indeed vote for the articles of impeachment to be tried in the Senate,

10:37then this will be the first time, I think, in Philippine history that a vice president was impeached twice by

10:47the House of Representatives.

10:49If we recall, sometime last year, I think that was December,

10:532015, congressmen actually signed the Articles of Impeachment,

10:57but because of some technicalities.

10:59So, that was shelved, and the Supreme Court said that it was not a constitutional process,

11:08so that's why it was eventually put on hold.

11:12But instead of revisiting it after the expiration early this year,

11:17then four complaints were again lodged at the House of Representatives,

11:22and this particular complaint is a merger of the two,

11:25and now it's moving forward.

11:28So, as mentioned earlier, because acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte

11:34is already the national president of the PDP Laban,

11:39his influence and that of the Duterte family can also be quantified

11:46depending on how the PDP Laban members of the House of Representatives will vote this afternoon.

11:54If they vote against, then it can tell us that his influence or the Duterte family's influence is still there,

12:03but if they will vote for the impeachment, or a significant number of them will vote for the impeachment,

12:09then that will tell us that the Duterte influence is potentially already weakening.

12:16So, that's an interesting data also that will be of interest later today,

12:24depending on how the House will vote for this one.

12:29Now, another, so this one is also a very polarizing sentiment.

12:40There is also a polarizing sentiment regarding the impeachment as a whole,

12:45because critics of the Duterte family would say that the impeachment is a development

12:52in terms of holding people accountable, government leaders accountable,

12:58and based on the hearing that was conducted by the Committee on Justice,

13:06the bigger impact, in my opinion, happened on the second day,

13:12when data coming from AMLOC and the bank transactions also.

13:19These are matters of interest in which, if indeed the Vice President will be tried at the Senate,

13:26it would also be a good information for the public to know what happened to these transactions.

13:33Because, as we can see now, these are numbers, but the details of this will happen, no?

13:41When should the articles of impeachment will be elevated to the House and a trial will commence, no?

13:50So, because I think the bank information is a crucial piece among the allegations against her, no?

14:01In my opinion, the first day, which was largely on Madriaga, in my opinion, is quite weak,

14:07but I'm not necessarily saying that the evidence against the Vice President is strong, no?

14:14With respect to the bank transactions that happened on the second day of the hearing, no?

14:21On the Committee of Justice, but these are information, in my opinion, that's also crucial.

14:27Now, in terms of the dynamics also, if I remember it correctly,

14:34we know that Iglesia Ni Cristo is a voting population.

14:39So, they just support a candidate unanimously.

14:45And if I remember it correctly, Iglesia Ni Cristo made a pronouncement also earlier

14:50that they do not support any impeachment, whether it's the Vice President or the President.

14:56And the reason for that, among the many, is also the disruption,

15:00that these exercises will be distracting us from the focus, no?

15:05Of where our leaders and even the country should be zooming in, no?

15:11So, in the perspective, at least if I remember it correctly from Iglesia Ni Cristo,

15:16the impeachment, whether it's the President or the Vice President,

15:19is not the number one priority at this point, no?

15:21So, if we tie that to what I said earlier, that the Senators are elected nationally,

15:28so, while we can see that, well, later this afternoon we'll find out

15:34that the House of Representatives, the influence of the Duterte family

15:39in the House of Representatives appears to be weakening.

15:43And again, we will confirm that later when they vote for the impeachment.

15:48But for Visayas and Mindanao plus the Iglesia Ni Cristo bloc,

15:53that's a point, these are points of consideration for a senator.

15:58Because again, while this is a constitutional process,

16:00but it's still largely a political one.

16:04So, this, I think, is a turning point also in our country, no?

16:09On how we will have sufficient information, at least for this particular round,

16:14how our senators and how our congressmen are actually looking at the situation

16:24in a mature way, no?

16:27So, one thing is clear, no?

16:30That while this is an important development as far as accountability is concerned,

16:39but the other consideration is all roads as of this time are also leading towards 2028.

16:46So, this is a good time also for us to observe our leaders on how they vote for

16:53or they vote against the Articles of Impeachment.

16:58So, now for our final story for the day,

17:02there's going to be an eight-hour power interruption set in parts of Minglanilia on May 13.

17:09That's this coming Wednesday.

17:11Residents in parts of Minglanilia may experience a temporary power interruption on Wednesday, May 13,

17:19due to scheduled maintenance activities.

17:21A scheduled maintenance activity will start at 9 o'clock in the morning until 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

17:30So, this is about eight hours, no?

17:32According to the advisory, the activity aims to prevent unnecessary power interruptions

17:38caused by an obstructing pole in the distribution system serving Barangay Tungkil.

17:44The maintenance will also facilitate the relocation of a primary pole based on a customer request.

17:53Affected areas include portions of Barangay Tungkil in Minglanilia,

17:57particularly along portions of Sitio Libo Road.

18:02Residents and businesses in affected areas are advised to prepare for the temporary interruption

18:08and take necessary precautions before the scheduled maintenance begins.

18:15And those are the stories making the headlines today.

18:19From growing political movements and impeachment proceedings

18:23to public service advisories affecting local communities,

18:27these developments continue to shape conversations across the country.

18:31I'm DJ Moises, this has been Beyond the Headlines.

18:34Thank you for joining us today and see you again tomorrow.

18:38Thank you for joining us today and see you again tomorrow.

19:09Thank you for joining us today and see you again tomorrow and see you again tomorrow and see you again

19:10tomorrow and see you again tomorrow and see you again tomorrow and see you again tomorrow and see you again

19:14tomorrow

Category

Transcript

Comments

Recommended