MANILA – Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial will start when a new Congress convenes in July, Senate president Francis Escudero said, ruling out the chances of a special session while lawmakers are on election break.

The lower house in the Philippines impeached Vice President Sara Duterte Wednesday, accusing her of a wide range of crimes that included plotting to assassinate the president, large-scale corruption and failing to strongly denounce China’s aggressive actions against Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea.

A conviction would hamper the political ambitions of Sara Duterte, who has said that she would like to succeed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said on Friday she had been preparing since last year for impeachment and would welcome on her defence team her firebrand father, former President Rodrigo Duterte,

The Philippine Senate president says the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will begin after Congress reopens in June and will be done fairly to avoid a repeat of a 2001 impeachment proceeding that stalled and sparked massive protests that forced a president to step down.

Sara Duterte said that it was too early to consider resigning, which would preempt the impeachment and preserve her ability to run for office in future.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Thursday distanced himself from the impeachment of his estranged Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the executive branch of government cannot have a hand in it.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte says her lawyers are preparing for a legal battle in her upcoming impeachment trial but refused to say if resignation is an option.

The Philippines' lower house has impeached Vice President Sara Duterte, the daughter of the country's firebrand former president, setting the stage for a rare, high-profile trial in the Senate.Here are details on the trial,