Manila: The vote of the impeachment court on the case of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte must be based on the number of participating senator-judges, a key member of the House prosecution said on Saturday. Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua stated it would be 'unfair' if absent senators were allowed to cast votes.

According to Philippines News Agency, Chua, who also chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, compared allowing an absent senator-judge to vote to a court judge handing out a ruling without attending the trial. He stressed that an impeachment trial is different from a regular legislative process and requires a senator-judge to observe the demeanor of witnesses to evaluate their truthfulness.

Chua emphasized the necessity of a senator-judge's presence during the trial, akin to a court hearing, to render a fair judgment based on witness conduct and mannerisms. He noted that when a trial court judge's decision is elevated to the Court of Appeals, it focuses only on the question of law, not factual issues, indicating the uniqueness of the impeachment process.

He mentioned that the ultimate resolution to the issue might come from the Supreme Court. Chua also referred to the upcoming July 3 session of the new Senate majority, led by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, suggesting that the quorum could be applied in the impeachment court. He acknowledged that while the matter is significant, the House prosecution team has not fully discussed it as they prepare for the pre-trial conference on June 18.

Currently, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa is absent since leaving the Senate on May 14, and Senator Jinggoy Estrada is detained over a plunder case, reducing the number of senators able to participate in the trial to 22.