SENATE President Win Gatchalian clarified Thursday that the senator‑judges’ decision to revise the conviction threshold does not predict the final outcome of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Thirteen senator‑judges voted to calculate the required two‑thirds majority based only on those actually participating in proceedings, effectively overturning the July 6 ruling by Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero that had set the bar at 16 votes — two‑thirds of the full 24‑member Senate.
Gatchalian pushed back against the view that the 13 who backed the change are predetermined to convict. “Far from it. It still depends on the presentation of evidence. It depends on what the witnesses will say. So, those are not the votes to convict, and those are not the votes to acquit,” he stated in an ambush interview. He emphasized that the threshold ruling addresses procedure, not the weight of the evidence or the merits of the case, and that individual decisions will be shaped by testimony and arguments presented during the trial.
The Senate President also noted that the new formula applies only to this trial and will not serve as a binding precedent for future impeachment proceedings.
The ruling restricts the pool of eligible voters to those who are legally and factually capable of participating — excluding senators who are detained, absent with outstanding warrants, or on extended medical leave — with any fractional result rounded up to the next whole number. The exact number of votes needed to convict will therefore be determined closer to the final ballot, based on how many senator‑judges remain eligible at that time.
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