The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte — the first official to be impeached twice by the country's House of Representatives — opened on 6 July, with the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. Duterte faces four articles of impeachment covering alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery of Department of Education officials, and making grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, including an admission of hiring an assassin to kill him. Three of the 24 senator-judges were absent at the outset for separate legal reasons, and proceedings are now in their ninth day, with prosecutors arguing a "pattern of violence" while the defence challenges witness testimony.