A single vote can change history. But in Mindanao, it was an “impeachment” that became a wound—one that bled support away from President Marcos’ allies.
Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco didn’t mince words. “It was a self-inflicted wound,” he said on radio DZBB, describing how the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte led their coalition to defeat. “The moment the impeachment complaint was filed, Mindanao closed its doors to us.”
Tiangco, campaign manager of Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas, recalled how people in Mindanao shifted loyalties overnight. “Voters wanted leaders who wouldn’t support impeachment,” he explained, painting a picture of a region united against what many saw as political overreach.
Despite his role as an administration ally, Tiangco refused to sign the articles of impeachment. “Why force something I knew would go nowhere?” he asked. “The Senate won’t even touch it until June.” His words echoed the frustration of a group now searching for answers after losing crucial ground.
Some insiders blamed Tiangco. But he pushed back. “The problem didn’t start with us. There was never a real public outcry to impeach Duterte.”
Instead of their usual campaign rallies, the group let candidates fend for themselves in Mindanao, hoping at least a few would make it through. “We avoided Mindanao because we already knew there was a problem,” Tiangco admitted.
As the impeachment drama played out, the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte added fuel to the fire. “That, too, shook our numbers,” Tiangco said. Senate President Francis Escudero backed this up, telling reporters the impeachment and Duterte’s arrest left deep scars on the midterm elections.
The stage is now set for a Senate impeachment trial with high-profile prosecutors: former senator Leila de Lima and human rights champion Chel Diokno. House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong described them as bringing “moral clarity and legal precision,” with Adiong saying, “This trial is about truth, not theatrics.”
President Marcos, for his part, has stepped back. Palace spokesperson Claire Castro assured the public, “The President will not interfere. It’s all about the rule of law now.”
The numbers are historic: Over 200 House members backed the impeachment, making Sara Duterte the first vice president impeached by the House. The charges are explosive—violation of the Constitution, bribery, unexplained wealth, even conspiracy to assassinate top officials. Some allege misuse of over P600 million in confidential funds.
Duterte now faces allegations ranging from corruption and bribery to involvement in extrajudicial killings and public disorder. She’s challenged the impeachment in the Supreme Court and vows to face whatever comes her way.
As the Senate trial looms, the political temperature in the Philippines keeps rising. The question now is: Can the administration heal this self-inflicted wound, or will the scars reshape the nation’s future?
Reshuff PH
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