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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Strong contender' vs VP Duterte needed to boost impeachment case--Defensor

'Strong contender' vs VP Duterte needed to boost impeachment case--Defensor

Published Feb 18, 2026 08:01 pm

At A Glance

  • House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor says the emergence of a "strong contender" against presidential aspirant Vice President Sara Duterte can boost efforts to impeach the lady official.
Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN, Facebook)
Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN, Facebook)


House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor says the emergence of a "strong contender" against presidential aspirant Vice President Sara Duterte can boost efforts to impeach the lady official.
Defensor gave this assessment Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 18, even as he described the Vice President Duterte's declaration of her 2028 plans as a "strategic decision".
"It's a strategic decision to strengthen her following lalo na may mga impeachment complaints na nakakahain laban sa kanya. Mabuti din para sa kanya para malaman niya kung sino talaga ang mga kakampi niya, kung sino hindi niya mga kakampi," he said.
(It is a strategic decision to strengthen her following, especially since impeachment complaints have already been filed against her. It is also beneficial for her, as it allows her to see who her true allies are, and who are not here allies.)
Defensor hinted that the effort to impeach Duterte in the current 20th Congress might not have as many solon-backers as it did compared to the effort in the previous 19th Congress.
"The reality is the Vice President is doing very well in terms of her ratings and there are provinces and regions that are very close to the Vice President. Maa-apektuhan sila kung sakaling bumoto sila against the Vice President (They will be affected in case they vote against the Vice President). We cannot discount that possibility.
"And we also have to take into consideration na malapit na ang 2028 (that 2028 is drawing near)," he explained.
As such, the ranking congressman said: "So unless there is a strong contender against the Vice President who will say that the impeachment is worth pursuing, I do not see it yet as going beyond the Committee on Justice for deliberation and determination of sufficiency and form and substance."
A Senate trial may only proceed against Duterte if she gets impeached first by the House via the adoption of the justice panel's committee report in plenary. The are 316 House members.
Defensor gave an insight to what could be the pulse of his colleagues when it comes to voting for or against the filed impeachment complaints this year in the 20th Congress.
"The 19th Congress composition is very different from the 20th Congress composition. There are those who feel that their elections were affected because of that [previous] impeachment complaint and we have to accept that as the reality," he said.
"Sa ngayon na malapit na ang 2028 (Now that the 2028 electons are drawing near), you cannot discount the fact that the dynamics in Mindanao, the dynamics in NCR (National Capital Region) and the Visayas [are] different and that the Vice President is ahead in terms of ratings," he candidly said.
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