Context Dispatch

Senators on Monday took their oath as judges to begin the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, pledging “to do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws of the Philippines.” Duterte, impeached last week by the House, faces charges including constitutional violations, graft, unexplained wealth, and allegedly plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. A Senate summons requires her to respond within 10 calendar days and later appear for the trial. Conviction will need 16 senators’ votes.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday ordered the six-month preventive suspension of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca as investigators from the people’s watchdog examine Wednesday night’s shooting inside the Senate. Remulla said the suspension was necessary to prevent possible interference in the probe. Aplasca, the Senate’s chief security officer and custodian of its CCTV footage, reportedly fired the first warning shot that triggered the incident. The Ombudsman’s investigation will focus on the chain of events, handling of security protocols, and preservation of evidence tied to the shooting. Remulla, a former justice secretary, stressed that accountability and an impartial inquiry are essential while authorities determine responsibility

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. late Wednesday appealed for calm after gunshots triggered a commotion inside the Senate complex, saying authorities were moving swiftly to identify those behind the incident and secure all evidence. “We will get to the bottom of this,” said Marcos in a video message. "We do not yet know who tried to enter the Senate, but we are collecting all evidence.”  He said he has dispatched Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez to lead the investigation. The President said he had spoken with his former Senate colleague, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, to call for sobriety amid rising political tensions. Marcos said he also ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to stand down following the Supreme Court’s directive for the government to respond to Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s petition against the execution of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant tied to the Duterte drug war killings.

Live broadcasts within the Senate building showed commotion within the second floor, with gun shots heard and uniformed personnel armed with long fire arms and clad in bulletproof vests trying to secure the area. It remains unclear what happened, with security personnel refusing to reply to media queries.

A tandem of former Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Raffy Tulfo leads a potential matchup against Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Imee Marcos, according to the March 2026 OCTA Research survey, though the race remains statistically close. Robredo–Tulfo secured 44 percent support, driven by NCR, Luzon, and Visayas voters, while Duterte–Marcos followed at 40 percent, buoyed by strong Mindanao backing. Sixteen percent remain undecided, keeping the outcome fluid. The March 19–25 survey of 1,200 respondents has a plus/minus 3-point margin of error, placing both tandems within overlapping statistical ranges, underscoring a tightly contested and regionally polarized race.