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Zubiri’s Witch Hunt Whine: Sara Duterte’s Impeachment as Manila’s Melodrama Du Jour 

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Louis ‘Barok’ Biraogo

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Zubiri’s Witch Hunt Whine: Sara Duterte’s Impeachment as Manila’s Melodrama Du Jour 

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — July 11, 2025

IN THE Philippines, where politics is a telenovela scripted by Machiavelli, the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is the juiciest episode yet. It’s a clash of dynasties, a parade of crocodile tears, and a masterclass in constitutional cosplay. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri screams “witch hunt!” like a street vendor hawking fishballs, while House prosecutors clutch their evidence—₱612.5 million in dodgy funds and assassination threats—like a lifeline to justice. Spoiler alert: this isn’t about accountability; it’s Game of Thrones: Manila Edition, with 2028’s presidential crown as the prize. Grab your popcorn, folks—democracy’s on the chopping block.

Zubiri’s ‘Witch Hunt’ Whining: A Masterpiece of Melodramatic Hypocrisy

Senator Zubiri’s claim that this impeachment is a politically driven purge to kneecap Sara Duterte’s 2028 ambitions is as subtle as a karaoke rendition of “My Way.” He wails that Marcos’ allies want to clear the field, yet vows to “set my bias aside” because the Constitution demands it. Oh, the chutzpah! It’s like a carinderia chef promising a five-star meal while serving yesterday’s adobo.

The irony is richer than a lechon feast: Zubiri decries a “witch hunt” while ignoring the actual one against Leila de Lima, who rotted in jail on trumped-up charges under Sara’s father, Rodrigo Duterte. Back then, the Dutertes cheered kangaroo courts; now they’re the ones crying foul.

House prosecutors, led by De Lima and Lorenz Defensor, aren’t here for Zubiri’s sob story. They flaunt 215 House votes—70% of the chamber, well over the constitutional threshold—as proof this isn’t a vendetta but a reckoning. The charges? Misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, allegedly funneled to ghost recipients, and Sara’s public fantasy about assassinating President Marcos, his wife, and Speaker Romualdez. Her defense—”I didn’t mean it”—is as convincing as a street dog claiming it only barked at the mailman.

De Lima, who’s seen real persecution up close, snaps that “witch hunt” insults the House and the Filipinos demanding answers. She’s not wrong: this isn’t Salem’s witch trials; it’s a constitutional process, however messy. Zubiri’s preemptive tantrum just makes him look like he’s auditioning for Duterte’s hype man.

The Senate’s Gutless Jitterbug: Dodging Justice with Olympic-Level Procrastination

The Senate, tasked with trying Duterte, is less an impartial court than a country club for oligarchs perfecting the art of passing the buck. Delays in starting the trial—remanding articles to the House for “certification”—are either bureaucratic nitpicking or a spineless dodge to avoid the Duterte dynasty’s wrath.

With the 2025 midterms ushering in 12 new senators, many of whom owe their seats to Duterte loyalists, the fix seems in. Analysts bet on acquittal via bloc voting, as if the Senate’s loyalty is to bloodlines, not evidence. The Constitution demands impartiality, but expecting that from a body known for political horse-trading is like asking a jeepney to win a Formula 1 race.

Zubiri’s early “witch hunt” outburst—before a single witness takes the stand—only cements the Senate’s reputation as a gilded echo chamber where justice goes to nap.

The Grand Stakes: Democracy’s Funeral, Dynasty Wars, and a Flirtation with Beijing

If the Senate tosses this case like a moldy lumpia, it’s a neon sign that elite impunity is alive and well. The House’s 215-vote impeachment roared public outrage; the Senate’s foot-dragging whispers, “Same old, same old.” This clash of chambers lays bare a democracy buckling under dynastic weight.

The Marcos-Duterte feud isn’t just a family spat—it’s a cage match for 2028. Convict Sara, and Marcos’ crew sidelines a heavyweight rival. Acquit her, and she’s back in the ring, wielding her father’s populist machete. Either way, this trial is less about justice than who gets to wear the Malacañang crown.

Then there’s the global subplot. A Duterte acquittal could revive Rodrigo’s China-friendly playbook, cozying up to Beijing while flipping off Marcos’ U.S. security pacts. The South China Sea is already a diplomatic minefield; Sara’s comeback could tilt Manila toward Xi Jinping’s orbit, leaving Washington to sulk over its defense treaties.

In Manila’s political circus, domestic dramas have a knack for rewriting the geopolitical script.

The Barok Slam: Stop the Clown Show or Kiss Democracy Goodbye

Oh, Philippine politics—where “constitutional duty” is just “personal vendetta” in a barong, and impeachment is the season finale of Manila’s Got No Talent. The Senate must either convict with hard evidence or drop this case faster than a bad karaoke mic. Anything less turns this trial into a farce that buries public trust deeper than Manila’s floodwaters.

The media, too, needs to ditch the soap opera script and chase the ₱612.5 million paper trail—those shady funds matter more than Sara’s soundbites. This impeachment isn’t just a trial; it’s a referendum on whether power answers to the people or just to the next dynasty in line.

Spoiler: in the Philippines, the house always wins, and the house is never the people.

Key References

Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo

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