A supporter hugs Vice President Sara Duterte after she posted bail at the Quezon City Hall of Justice on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Lowering the voting threshold in impeachment trials “invites the government to target senators” who are expected to vote against the wishes of the ruling administration, the spokesperson of Vice President Sara Duterte said on Wednesday after four former Supreme Court magistrates weighed on the number of votes needed to oust an impeachable official.
Under the Philippine Constitution, the Senate impeachment court needs at least two-thirds of the 24-member chamber to convict an official, but the current roster of senators actively attending Duterte’s trial was reduced to 20 after two were charged with plunder, one went on medical leave, while another remained in hiding.
“Kapag ang denominator o ang 16 ay pwedeng babaan, iniimbitahan mo ang nasa poder, yung gobyerno natin, na targetin ang mga senador na aasahan nila na hindi boboto ng pabor sa gusto nila,” Office of the Vice President (OVP) spokesperson Paolo Panelo said.
“May mga punto yung mga sinasabi nila pero mayroon pa rin bang saysay yung ganoong opinion kung yung gobyerno natin ay ima-manipulate yung participation ng mga senador by filing cases against them or threatening to file cases against them?” he said in a chance interview on the sidelines of the trial.
“Pagkaganoon, pwedeng kontrolin ng nakaupo sa pwesto yung outcome ng boto,” he added.
Panelo claimed that many supporting the adjustment of the voting threshold in Duterte’s trial would most likely have a different opinion if the proceedings involved one of their allies.
“Paano kung si VP Leni [Robredo] [Aquino] ang subject ng impeachment at ang mga pinapakulong ay sina Senator Bam o sina Senator Risa [Hontiveros], ganoon pa din ba ang opinion ng mga nasa kabilang panig na pwedeng baguhin ang voting threshold? Palagay ko hindi,” he said.
“Ito ay nagpapakita lang na hindi nila kayang i-convict si VP Sara… mukhang mahihirapan silang kunin yung 16 kaya naghahanap sila ng paraan ngayon para pababain ito,” he claimed.
Ex-CJ Panganiban asks: Can senators be impeachment judges 'in the shadows of absence?'
Azcuna: All senators count toward impeachment voting threshold
On July 6, presiding officer Francis Escudero said that the Senate impeachment court would uphold the literal interpretation of the text in the Constitution, which would require 16 votes for conviction.
But earlier this month, Sen. Erwin Tulfo raised the voting threshold issue anew, saying that the court should clarify if their absentee colleagues would still be required to cast a vote on whether or not Duterte should be ousted from office.
Ex-CJ Puno: Senate has ‘sole power’ to interpret impeachment rules
Davide: No impeach vote for senators charged with plunder, whereabouts unknown
Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta are in detention over separate plunder cases.
Sen. Loren Legarda left the Philippines on a medical leave, while Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa has been in hiding after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him for his involvement in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
The impeachment court has invited former Supreme Court Chief Justices Hilario Davide, Artemio Pangandaman and Reynato Puno as well as former Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna to share their insights on the voting threshold issue.