Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte faces impeachment trial broadcast via livestream

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment proceedings are undergoing a fundamental shift in public consumption as digital platforms provide unedited, real-time access to legislative sessions. The integration of continuous livestreaming on platforms like Facebook and YouTube is bypassing traditional media curation, allowing millions of citizens to monitor the trial without editorial intervention. Direct access to legislative sessions The impeachment process, initiated in the House of Representatives, centers on allegations involving the use of confidential and intelligence funds. Specifically, critics and lawmakers point to the expenditure of ₱125 million ($2.1 million) in just 11 days in December 2022. While previous high-profile trials in the Philippines relied on scheduled television broadcasts and newspaper summaries, the current proceedings are available 24/7 via social media feeds. According to data from the House of Representatives’ official digital channels, viewership for these committee hearings has reached record levels. This digital transparency ensures that testimonies from government officials and the Vice President herself are documented in the public…