Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, the presiding officer of the Senate sitting as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte, says a conviction requires at least 16 affirmative votes from the senator-judges. In separate statements reported on different days, Escudero reiterates that threshold is necessary to find Duterte guilty in the impeachment trial. He also indicates openness to scrutiny of his ruling, saying he would welcome a possible challenge through a petition questioning the basis for the 16-vote requirement.
Escudero’s statements come as the impeachment court outlines the rules and voting thresholds that will guide how the proceedings are conducted and how rulings are made. One factor mentioned in reporting is that some senators are currently unable to participate in the trial, which affects the number of senator-judges available to vote. Despite these considerations, Escudero maintains that conviction still needs at least 16 affirmative votes.
