The abusive Sara Duterte

Guilty. That is the verdict of many on the impeachment charges leveled against Sara Zimmerman Duterte, 46, the Vice President and the former secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), from July 1, 2022-July 19, 2024.

- TONY LOPEZ

Sixteen individuals filed the first impeachment complaint against Sara late afternoon of Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Congress. They represent groups like Magdalo, Mamamayang Liberal, Tindig Pilipinas, families of drug war victims and leaders of the Catholic Church.

The complaint has 11,222 words, 24 articles and 50 pages. It cites grounds enumerated in the 1987 Constitution: culpable violation of the Constitution; graft and corruption; bribery; betrayal of public trust; other high crimes.

Section 2 Article XI (Accountability of Public Officers) of the Constitution says: "The President, the Vice-President, the Members of the Supreme Court, the Members of the Constitutional Commissions and the Ombudsman may be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes or betrayal of public trust."

It is not clear what exactly is a culpable violation of the Constitution, what is a high crime and what is a betrayal of public trust. Our 24-member Senate defines what these crimes are. If 16 senators want you out, you are dead meat. Impeachment is basically a shaming act, to make you appear vile, abusive, corrupt to the core and to stir the people's blood with the searing language of the impeachment complaint. The trial is high drama, a legal rhetoric, a political process. A senator does not have to be literate or educated to cast a vote of conviction. Seven senators finished law.