SC has no role in impeachment voting threshold, says retired chief justice

MANILA – Retired Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban testified before the Senate impeachment court on Wednesday that the Supreme Court lacks authority to decide on the impeachment voting threshold in Vice President Sara Duterte's trial, where three senator-judges have been absent from all proceedings to date.

Panganiban's statement came in response to questions raised by Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo regarding the constitutional requirements for conviction in an impeachment case. The matter of voting thresholds has emerged as a significant procedural question as the trial progresses with incomplete attendance from the bench of senator-judges.

The retired jurist's position underscores the separation of powers between the judiciary and the legislative branch, with the Senate impeachment court operating as a quasi-judicial body composed primarily of senators rather than judges. His testimony suggests that decisions on voting procedures and thresholds properly fall within the Senate's purview rather than the courts.

The impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte has faced several procedural challenges since its inception, with the absence of multiple senator-judges raising questions about quorum, due process, and the validity of potential voting outcomes. The voting threshold issue remains unresolved as the trial continues through its various phases of testimony and deliberation.