HOUSE impeachment spokesperson Ace Barbers emphasized Saturday that Vice President Sara Z. Duterte cannot be removed from office while being permitted to remain eligible for future public office — including a possible 2028 presidential run — if convicted by the Senate impeachment court.
Speaking at the Saturday News Forum, Barbers stated the penalties of removal and perpetual disqualification are inseparable under the Constitution. “That is not allowed. It is written in our fundamental law,” he declared. “The two consequences go together: removal from office and perpetual disqualification from holding any public post.”
Barbers was responding to circulating social media rumors suggesting a potential compromise that would allow Duterte to leave office but retain her right to seek election in 2028.
He reiterated that such an arrangement has no legal basis, pointing to Article XI, Section 3(7) of the 1987 Constitution, which explicitly provides that impeachment judgments extend to both removal and disqualification. The Supreme Court has likewise recognized these twin consequences as legally inseparable, Barbers noted. Conviction requires the concurrence of at least two‑thirds of all senators.
The prosecution’s remaining case rests on Article II, which alleges unexplained wealth and deficient financial disclosures. The House panel has already submitted its formal evidence, including financial records and witness testimony.
Duterte has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and her defense team is scheduled to begin presenting its evidence on November 9. Barbers affirmed that the prosecution is proceeding strictly in accordance with constitutional requirements and will not pursue any deal that would compromise accountability.
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