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Luistro Says Vote Count Debate Should Not Hold Up VP Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial
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Questions surrounding the number of votes needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte should not slow down the impeachment proceedings, according to House lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro.
Speaking ahead of the impeachment trial, Luistro said the debate over the required voting threshold is an issue that can be settled later in the process, stressing that it only becomes crucial when senator-judges are ready to decide the case.
According to her, there is still plenty of time to address the matter since the trial itself is expected to last for several months.
Luistro estimated that the proceedings could run until the end of September, making it unnecessary to pause or delay the trial while waiting for a definitive ruling on the vote requirement.
“The question of how many votes are needed for conviction becomes important only at the end, when the Senate is ready to render its judgment,” she explained.
The issue stems from differing interpretations of the Constitution's requirement that a conviction in an impeachment case must be supported by a two-thirds vote. Some argue the computation should be based on the Senate's full membership, while others believe it should be based only on senator-judges who are able to participate in the proceedings.
Luistro pointed out that the matter largely concerns Senate procedure and may ultimately be resolved by the Senate itself under its constitutional authority.
She noted that similar disputes involving the Senate's internal affairs have previously been considered political questions rather than legal issues for the courts to decide.
The House prosecutor cited past instances where the Supreme Court declined to intervene in Senate-related controversies, ruling that such matters fall under the chamber's constitutional autonomy.
Because of this, Luistro believes the Senate impeachment court has sufficient authority to address the vote threshold issue while the trial moves forward.
The Senate impeachment court held its pre-trial conference on June 18 as both the prosecution and defense began laying the groundwork for the highly anticipated proceedings.
The impeachment trial proper is scheduled to begin on July 6, where both sides are expected to present evidence and witnesses related to the charges against Vice President Duterte.
Despite ongoing discussions about procedural matters, Luistro maintained that the focus should remain on hearing the evidence and allowing the impeachment process to proceed without unnecessary delays.
Speaking ahead of the impeachment trial, Luistro said the debate over the required voting threshold is an issue that can be settled later in the process, stressing that it only becomes crucial when senator-judges are ready to decide the case.
According to her, there is still plenty of time to address the matter since the trial itself is expected to last for several months.
Luistro estimated that the proceedings could run until the end of September, making it unnecessary to pause or delay the trial while waiting for a definitive ruling on the vote requirement.
“The question of how many votes are needed for conviction becomes important only at the end, when the Senate is ready to render its judgment,” she explained.
The issue stems from differing interpretations of the Constitution's requirement that a conviction in an impeachment case must be supported by a two-thirds vote. Some argue the computation should be based on the Senate's full membership, while others believe it should be based only on senator-judges who are able to participate in the proceedings.
Luistro pointed out that the matter largely concerns Senate procedure and may ultimately be resolved by the Senate itself under its constitutional authority.
She noted that similar disputes involving the Senate's internal affairs have previously been considered political questions rather than legal issues for the courts to decide.
The House prosecutor cited past instances where the Supreme Court declined to intervene in Senate-related controversies, ruling that such matters fall under the chamber's constitutional autonomy.
Because of this, Luistro believes the Senate impeachment court has sufficient authority to address the vote threshold issue while the trial moves forward.
The Senate impeachment court held its pre-trial conference on June 18 as both the prosecution and defense began laying the groundwork for the highly anticipated proceedings.
The impeachment trial proper is scheduled to begin on July 6, where both sides are expected to present evidence and witnesses related to the charges against Vice President Duterte.
Despite ongoing discussions about procedural matters, Luistro maintained that the focus should remain on hearing the evidence and allowing the impeachment process to proceed without unnecessary delays.
Jun 18, 2026
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