Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday pressed the Senate impeachment court to definitively resolve the constitutional voting requirement needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte, warning that settling the matter early is crucial to avoiding future legal battles.
Reflecting on the conclusion of the trial’s opening week, Lacson expressed his support for a strict 16-vote threshold to convict, adhering to the 1987 Constitution’s mandate requiring a two-thirds majority of the upper chamber.
”‘Yung 16, sumasang-ayon ako doon. Cinlarify ko naman noong tumayo ako dahil hindi ko naman kinekuwestiyon ‘yong 16 na threshold. Ang tinatanong ko lang, kina-clarify ko kasi ang nakapaloob sa opening statement ni Sen. Chiz,” Lacson said.
The lawmaker firmly argued that the constitutional phrase “all members of the Senate” applies to the entire 24-seat body, regardless of whether certain seats are currently unoccupied.
”Kapag sinabing all members of the Senate, that’s 24. At ako, ang aking pananaw, sa ngayon ay miyembro pa naman sila,” he said.
Lacson noted that while concerned parties retain the right to elevate the interpretation to the Supreme Court, the Senate itself must establish absolute clarity before the trial concludes.
”So para sa erken, mas mainam nang maagap pa lamang ay ma-settle na ito once and for all bago kami mag-render ng aming desisyon, whether to convict or to acquit, ay maliwanag na sa amin ‘yung bilang, two-thirds,” he said.
Furthermore, he pointed out that any abstentions from the senator-judges would practically favor the Vice President, explaining that the law strictly demands affirmative votes for a guilty verdict rather than a specific number for an acquittal.
”Ang abstention, ang bilang niyan ay acquittal. Kasi sa Constitution, sinasabi naman na two-thirds vote para mag-convict. Hindi naman sinabing nine votes to acquit,” Lacson said.