🔴LIVE NOW:Top Judge Escudero VP Sara Luistro Kapunan Delima Diokno Tulfo Chua Impeachment Trial Upda

The Senate impeachment court will revisit the voting threshold required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte, with legal experts set to weigh in on the matter on Sept. 16 before the prosecution and defense present their arguments on Sept. 23.The court’s presiding officer, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, ruled to have it taken up after Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday formally asked the body to reconsider Escudero’s July 6 pronouncement that a vote by two-thirds of all 24 senators—or 16 votes—is needed for a conviction.Article XI, Section 3(6) of the 1987 Constitution provides that an impeached official cannot be convicted “without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members of the Senate.The dispute centers on whether “all members” should mean all 24 senators regardless of their ability to participate, or only those legally able to take part in the impeachment proceedings and final vote.Four senators are currently unable to attend the trial: Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is in hiding because he faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court; Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta, who are detained on the nonbailable charge of plunder before the Sandiganbayan; and Loren Legarda, who is abroad on an extended medical leave.Escudero said the court would not immediately resolve Tulfo’s appeal through the usual ayes-and-nays voting because of the “sensitive and serious nature” of the issue.Instead, the court will hear from amici curiae, or “friends of the court,” on Sept. 16. The prosecution and Duterte’s defense will each be given 15 minutes to present their positions during oral arguments on Sept. 23, after which the Senate will vote on the threshold question.