Manila: Malaca±ang on Wednesday declined to weigh in on the voting threshold for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying it will leave the matter to the Senate. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the Marcos administration would not provide an opinion or judgment on whether the threshold should be based on all 24 senators or only those qualified to participate in the proceedings.
According to Philippines News Agency, Castro emphasized that the administration and the President would not involve themselves in the decision-making process regarding the voting threshold. 'Sa parte po ng administrasyon, sa parte po ng Pangulo, hindi po kami magbibigay ng anumang opinyon, ng anumang judgment patungkol po diyan (On the part of the administration, on the part of the President, we will not give any opinion or judgment on that),' Castro mentioned during a Palace briefing. She further added, 'Hahayaan po natin ang Senado na siyang mag-determine kung ano sa palagay nila ang nararapat (We will let the Senate determine what it believes is appropriate).'
Castro's comments followed inquiries about whether the opinions of former Supreme Court justices could influence senator-judges on the matter. She referenced former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.'s stance that only senators qualified to vote should decide the outcome, based on his interpretation of the 1987 Constitution. Davide, one of the framers of the Constitution, suggested that senators no longer covered by the Senate should not participate, implying that the threshold should not automatically include all 24 senators.
Despite Davide's position, Castro reiterated that the President would not intervene in determining the threshold. 'Kung ano po ang magiging threshold, hindi po makikialam ang Pangulo patungkol diyan (The President will not interfere in determining what the threshold will be),' she stated. Castro also noted that the administration's primary concern is ensuring justice prevails, while the government remains focused on serving the public.
The issue of the conviction threshold has sparked debate as some senators have been absent for the majority of the trial. This includes Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who is in hiding due to being wanted by the International Criminal Court for his involvement in former president Rodrigo Duterte's drug war. Additionally, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta are currently detained over plunder cases, and Senator Loren Legarda is on medical leave.
