Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol has urged the public to maintain faith in the senator-judges presiding over Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial, even as debates persist regarding the exact number of votes required for a conviction.
Speaking in an online interview, Tongol clarified that the ongoing discussions regarding the 16-vote requirement stem from genuine legal inquiry rather than an attempt to alter the proceedings to favour a conviction.
He noted that the judges are actively weighing textual interpretations of the Constitution against functional legal principles, while examining precedent from Supreme Court rulings such as Avelino v. Cuenco and Bayan v. Zamora.
“Kaya huwag po kayong mawalan ng tiwala na yung ating mga senator judge, parang katulad niyo rin po sila,” Tongol stated.
“Please understand that this is part of our democratic processes so that these debates will make the whole citizenry, including our senator judges, the parties and those watching, more enlightened,” he said.
“If until now there are questions there in your minds, so are they. They also have questions and they want to finally put a nail in the coffin of this question,” Tongol added.
To help resolve these constitutional ambiguities, the impeachment court has invited four former Supreme Court justices—including three former chief justices and retired Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna—to serve as amici curiae (“friends of the court”).
Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. will submit a written legal memorandum due to his advanced age, while the remaining legal experts will appear in person.
Tongol noted that Presiding Officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero consulted both the prosecution and defense on the selection process.
He emphasized that the experts were selected for their independence rather than to secure a pre-determined outcome, and mentioned that the court is open to inviting additional female legal experts.
“The amici curiae are very independent minded. You cannot dictate to them, so it is good to hear what they will really say,” Tongol remarked.
The special amici session will operate similarly to Supreme Court oral arguments, pausing regular evidence presentation. The invited experts will deliver their legal opinions before fielding questions from senator-judges.
While the prosecution and defense may submit inquiries, their questions must be routed through Escudero.
The proceedings aim to clarify key issues, including whether Escudero’s ruling on the voting baseline remains subject to appeal and how the 24-member Senate baseline applies to the current proceedings.