Sara Duterte: The ‘Alpha’ Vice-President at War with the Philippine President

• May 12, 2025

Though not on the ballot, the latest Senate elections could decide the political fate of Sara Duterte — the controversial vice-president facing possible impeachment and a future ban from politics.

When Filipinos cast their votes on Monday, Vice-President Sara Duterte wasn’t among the candidates. But the results — particularly the 12 contested Senate seats — could shape the rest of her political career.

The 46-year-old daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte is under threat of impeachment, and a conviction by the Senate would mean her removal from office and a ban from future political runs — including a potential bid for the presidency in 2028.

A lawyer by training, Sara Duterte entered politics in 2007 as vice-mayor of Davao City, serving under her father. Described by Rodrigo as the “alpha” of the family, she has been known for her strong-willed and combative nature. In one infamous 2011 incident, she punched a court sheriff on camera — earning her the nickname “the slugger” from local media.

Sara shares many traits with her father, from their blunt demeanor to their love for riding motorcycles. She has also been seen as his favorite child, despite their sometimes volatile relationship. A U.S. embassy cable leaked by WikiLeaks once called her “tough-minded” and “difficult to engage.”

Born in 1978 to Rodrigo and his first wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, Sara initially pursued a career in medicine before switching to law. After passing the bar, her political career was heavily shaped by her father, who insisted she succeed him as mayor of Davao before he pursued the presidency himself. In 2010, at just 32, she became the city’s first female mayor.

In her inauguration speech, she embraced the southern honorific “Inday” — traditionally used for women from the Visayas and Mindanao — reclaiming it from its colonial connotations. Even her father now calls her Inday Sara.

Sara stepped onto the national stage in 2022, running as vice-president alongside presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Their landslide win was seen as a powerful alliance between two political dynasties — and a launchpad for Sara’s own future presidential ambitions.

But the partnership quickly soured.

Sara had hoped for the defense secretary role but was instead given the education portfolio. Tensions deepened as Congress questioned her use of confidential funds, and her father publicly attacked Marcos, calling him a drug addict and a weak leader. The First Lady, Liza Marcos, then publicly snubbed Sara at an event — a move she admitted was deliberate, criticizing Sara for not distancing herself from her father's remarks.

In July, Sara resigned from the cabinet and her rhetoric escalated dramatically. She claimed she had spoken to someone about assassinating Marcos and his inner circle and said she dreamed of cutting off the president’s head. While alarming to outsiders, such aggressive statements have only solidified her popularity in parts of the Philippines, especially in the south and among many overseas Filipino workers.

In February, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte, citing alleged fund misuse and her violent threats against the president. The decision now moves to the Senate, which must reach a two-thirds majority to convict and disqualify her from future office.

Sara maintains her innocence, claiming the charges are part of a political vendetta.

Adding to her challenges, her father Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and extradited to The Hague in March, facing trial for thousands of deaths during his controversial war on drugs. Sara traveled to the Netherlands to see him in detention.

Despite his arrest, Rodrigo ran for and won the mayorship of Davao again in local elections held on the same day as the Senate races. His situation became a central issue in Sara’s campaign for her preferred Senate candidates — rallying behind the slogan "bring him home."

Early results show two of her key allies are poised to win Senate seats — a potential lifeline in her impeachment trial, where every vote could decide her future. But unexpected outcomes in the election have made predictions difficult.

For now, Sara Duterte’s political survival — and any chance of a future presidential bid — hinges on what the new Senate decides.