ILIGAN City ― Who would have thought that in this season of holiday cheer—when many are busy making wishes for joy and togetherness—another "season" would emerge? I call this the Impeachment Season. And the target? Everyone knows: the Vice President of this country, Sara Duterte, or as some jokingly refer to her, "Sara without the 'h'."
The situation has drawn various individuals "out of the woodwork," eager to take action. One of the most vocal is former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. In a recent media interview, he suggested, “There’s still time to file an impeachment complaint against her.” However, he acknowledged that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (PBBM) seems lukewarm about the idea, as it could “tie the government down” when there are more pressing issues to address.
Trillanes may have a point, though not everyone agrees. Many remember that the Duterte family has its share of critics. Take former Senator Leila de Lima, for example. She spent seven years behind bars—a situation she attributes to the previous administration, claiming the charges of drug involvement against her were "fabricated lies."
And so, a few days ago, a civil society group filed an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte. Interestingly, De Lima played a role, reportedly acting as a spokesperson for the group.
Hardly had the ink dried on the first complaint when another group, the Makabayan bloc, followed suit. In a video circulating online, members of this bloc—over 20 individuals—were shown completing the necessary paperwork. The scene reminded me of an old jeepney sign: “The job isn’t finished until the paperwork is done.” The image accompanying the sign was humorously related to a bathroom scenario, which, while a different context, feels oddly appropriate for this chaotic impeachment spectacle.
Amid the uproar, yet another figure entered the fray: Larry Gadon, a disbarred lawyer. Gadon announced that he, too, had filed a complaint—this time calling for the disbarment of the Vice President. He argued that if he was disbarred for lesser offenses, why not Sara Duterte? He pointed to her controversial “kill” comments about PBBM and his family, even involving the remains of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Gadon’s stance seemed rooted in personal grievance, but his accusations were inflammatory nonetheless.
He also dug up a 2011 disbarment complaint against Duterte related to her physical assault on a Davao sheriff performing his duties. Gadon accused the Supreme Court of bias in that case and questioned why no action was taken back then.
Then came Gadon’s most eyebrow-raising proposal: rather than pursue impeachment, Congress could file a resolution declaring the Vice President unfit for office due to mental health issues. “That’s a quicker way to address the matter,” he suggested.
I couldn’t help but wonder: Is that even possible? After all, don’t we all experience moments of “craziness”? But Gadon’s examples of Duterte’s alleged statements—suggesting the disposal of the President and his family or throwing remains into the West Philippine Sea—push this debate to an unsettling extreme.
As this Impeachment Season unfolds, it seems less about justice and more about theatrics. But in a country accustomed to political drama, perhaps that’s no surprise. Still, one can’t help but hope that the holidays might bring a pause, if only briefly, to these escalating tensions.
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