The Senate impeachment court invites four retired Supreme Court justices to provide legal opinions on the vote threshold for convicting or acquitting Vice President Sara Duterte. The amici curiae are expected to advise senator-judges on whether the voting base for an impeachment conviction should be changed.
Multiple outlets identify the invited justices as former chief justices Artemio Panganiban, Reynato Puno, and Hilario Davide Jr., along with retired associate justice Adolfo Azcuna. In one report, the impeachment court says the experts will appear on Sept. 16 to weigh in on the disputed voting threshold.
In addition, one outlet reports the impeachment court addresses concerns about impartiality in selecting the amici curiae. It says the court chooses the justices based on their credentials and known expertise in constitutional issues. Across coverage, the differing emphasis is whether the main issue is the impending Sept. 16 appearances or the court’s statement about the selection process, rather than disagreement on who the invited experts are.
