Senate impeachment court lowers conviction threshold for VP Duterte

MANILA — The Senate impeachment court on Wednesday approved a motion to lower the conviction threshold for Vice President Sara Duterte after deliberating on arguments presented by both sides. The senator-judges voted in favor of the procedural change, which reduces the number of votes needed to secure a guilty verdict in the high court. The decision came after the defense and prosecution teams presented their respective positions on the conviction requirement. Under the adjusted threshold, a conviction would require fewer affirmative votes from the 24 senator-judges presiding over the case. The modification to the voting requirement marks a significant procedural development in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the Vice President. The impeachment court has been hearing arguments on various procedural and substantive matters as the case progresses through the Senate.