Manila, Feb. 6 -- The impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte is expected to be a major election issue, Senate President Francis Escudero said Thursday, emphasizing that it gives voters a substantive basis for evaluating candidates beyond personality-driven politics.

"If this shall be an election issue, so be it. Isn't that a good thing? At least voters will have a valid issue to ask candidates about, particularly for Congress and Senate races. It allows elections to be issue-based rather than personality-based," he said during the regular Kapihan sa Senado briefing.

Escudero noted that members of the 20th Congress, who will be elected during the midterm polls in May, will ultimately decide on the impeachment case, mak...