A Senate impeachment court spokesperson says that the vote requirement to remove Vice President Sara Duterte can be overturned, despite an initial ruling that 16 votes are needed. Court spokesperson Reginald/Tongol says that if at least 10 or 11 senators—depending on the framing—vote to overturn the 16-vote threshold, the requirement changes for the impeachment process.
The outlet reporting also specifies that for the senators to “overturn” the established threshold, the senator-judges need 11 votes. Another report states at least 10 senators can overturn the ruling of presiding officer Francis Escudero regarding the 16-vote threshold. Both accounts indicate the discussion centers on procedural rules for conviction within the impeachment court, rather than a final decision on removal itself.
While the numbers differ slightly between the two reports, they both reference the same court spokesperson and the same core issue: whether the 16-vote threshold for conviction/removal can be reversed through a separate voting step inside the Senate impeachment court.
