Sara Duterte impeachment trial: Prosecution argues absent senators shouldn't vote

In the ongoing impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, the prosecution team is strongly asserting that senators unable to participate in the proceedings should not be allowed to vote. Prosecutor Chel Diokno argued on Wednesday, September 23, that senators who cannot participate are incapable of hearing evidence, deliberating, and voting. "Their inability to vote is beyond dispute, yet if the denominator is fixed at 24, conviction would always require 16 votes. This is absurd," he stated, adding that "That would be tantamount to an acquittal by default." Diokno further explained that lowering the denominator would impact both the prosecution and the defense, as a reduced number of votes would be needed to either convict or acquit the Vice President. "The arithmetic moves in both directions," he said. This contention revolves around the interpretation of voting eligibility in impeachment trials and could directly influence the fairness and outcome of the proceedings. The impeachment of a Vice President is a highly significant event in Philippine politics, and procedural disputes like this are drawing considerable public attention.