NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Luistro Says Sara Trial Could Hurt 2028 Bid
Photo credit: Congress PH
The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte may already be shaping public opinion ahead of the 2028 presidential elections, according to House Committee on Justice chair Gerville Luistro.
Speaking during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City, Luistro said the evidence presented during the impeachment proceedings could have a major impact on Duterte’s political future — even if the Senate impeachment court does not ultimately convict her.
“Well, ako po naniniwala na malaki ang epekto nitong impeachment trial na ito on the possibility of the Vice President being elected in 2028,” Luistro said.
“I think the issue now is whether she will be elected or not because the fact of running has been pronounced already by her,” she added.
Duterte earlier announced her intention to run for president in 2028, despite facing several impeachment complaints linked to alleged misuse of public funds, unexplained wealth, and controversial remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other top officials.
The House Committee on Justice has already found probable cause to impeach the Vice President, moving the complaint closer to a Senate trial. If approved by at least one-third of House members, the Articles of Impeachment will be transmitted to the Senate for formal proceedings.
Luistro said the hearings themselves may already be influencing how Filipinos view Duterte’s presidential ambitions.
“I express my faith to the sovereign Filipino people that whatever will be the decision of the impeachment court, as a matter of fact, I believe that the proceeding in the Justice Committee already affected the position of the Filipino people on whether or not they will be supporting VP Sara for President,” Luistro said.
She added that voters are closely watching the evidence and testimony being presented, and these could remain in the public’s mind long after the trial ends.
“Yes, she has pronounced already her intention to run, but this is only my humble opinion that the proceeding before the Justice Committee, the evidence that they saw during the proceeding, what will happen in the plenary on Monday, and what will happen in the trial even without conviction, just the fact that the people were able to see the evidence, I think this have huge impact already on the chances of the President as to whether she will be elected or not,” Luistro said.
Among the issues raised against Duterte are questions surrounding her declared wealth, including the increase in her net worth from ₱7.25 million in 2007 to ₱88.51 million in 2024, despite declarations showing zero cash on hand or in bank accounts.
The impeachment complaints also referenced records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council allegedly showing ₱6.77 billion in covered and suspicious transactions linked to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
However, lawyer Peter Paul Danao earlier said that Bank of the Philippine Islands clarified that a previously reported “₱2 billion” transaction was actually only “₱2 million,” which he said resulted from a “system glitch.”
The complaints also include allegations tied to Duterte’s controversial statement claiming she had contracted someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez if anything happened to her.
Speaking during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City, Luistro said the evidence presented during the impeachment proceedings could have a major impact on Duterte’s political future — even if the Senate impeachment court does not ultimately convict her.
“Well, ako po naniniwala na malaki ang epekto nitong impeachment trial na ito on the possibility of the Vice President being elected in 2028,” Luistro said.
“I think the issue now is whether she will be elected or not because the fact of running has been pronounced already by her,” she added.
Duterte earlier announced her intention to run for president in 2028, despite facing several impeachment complaints linked to alleged misuse of public funds, unexplained wealth, and controversial remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other top officials.
The House Committee on Justice has already found probable cause to impeach the Vice President, moving the complaint closer to a Senate trial. If approved by at least one-third of House members, the Articles of Impeachment will be transmitted to the Senate for formal proceedings.
Luistro said the hearings themselves may already be influencing how Filipinos view Duterte’s presidential ambitions.
“I express my faith to the sovereign Filipino people that whatever will be the decision of the impeachment court, as a matter of fact, I believe that the proceeding in the Justice Committee already affected the position of the Filipino people on whether or not they will be supporting VP Sara for President,” Luistro said.
She added that voters are closely watching the evidence and testimony being presented, and these could remain in the public’s mind long after the trial ends.
“Yes, she has pronounced already her intention to run, but this is only my humble opinion that the proceeding before the Justice Committee, the evidence that they saw during the proceeding, what will happen in the plenary on Monday, and what will happen in the trial even without conviction, just the fact that the people were able to see the evidence, I think this have huge impact already on the chances of the President as to whether she will be elected or not,” Luistro said.
Among the issues raised against Duterte are questions surrounding her declared wealth, including the increase in her net worth from ₱7.25 million in 2007 to ₱88.51 million in 2024, despite declarations showing zero cash on hand or in bank accounts.
The impeachment complaints also referenced records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council allegedly showing ₱6.77 billion in covered and suspicious transactions linked to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
However, lawyer Peter Paul Danao earlier said that Bank of the Philippine Islands clarified that a previously reported “₱2 billion” transaction was actually only “₱2 million,” which he said resulted from a “system glitch.”
The complaints also include allegations tied to Duterte’s controversial statement claiming she had contracted someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez if anything happened to her.
May 10, 2026
We are dedicated storytellers with a passion for bringing your brand to life. Our services range from news and media features to brand promotion and collaborations.
Interested? Visit our
Contact Us page for more information. To learn more about what we offer, check out our latest article on services and opportunities.
