Politics · Philippines Bureau
Supreme Court dismisses petitions challenging impeachment vote threshold
The High Court has rejected two separate legal challenges to the Senate Impeachment Court's ruling on voting requirements for convicting Vice President Sara Duterte. The petitions sought to overturn the chamber's adjustment to the constitutional two-thirds threshold.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA—The Supreme Court has dismissed petitions filed by former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez and lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. that challenged the Senate Impeachment Court's determination of the voting threshold needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte.
The two petitioners separately sought judicial intervention after the Senate adjusted the constitutional requirement for conviction in impeachment proceedings. The High Court's decision to reject both challenges clears the way for the impeachment process to proceed under the voting standard established by the Senate.
The Senate Impeachment Court had previously ruled on the voting threshold after questions arose regarding how many votes would be necessary to convict the Vice President. The petitioners argued the chamber's interpretation departed from constitutional requirements, but the Supreme Court found insufficient grounds to overturn the Senate's determination.
The dismissal represents a significant development in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Duterte, removing a potential legal obstacle that could have delayed or altered the course of the case. The decision reinforces the Senate's authority to interpret procedural rules governing its impeachment function.