Acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore Win Gatchalian today clarified that the two-thirds vote required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte in the ongoing impeachment trial is a constitutional mandate and unaffected by any internal Senate leadership arrangement or dispute.

“Article XI, Section 3(6) of the 1987 Constitution states unequivocally that no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate. With the Senate’s membership fixed at 24, the conviction threshold is 16 votes, and it will remain 16 votes regardless of how many senators attend the trial, which bloc controls the chamber, or who presides over the impeachment court,” Gatchalian said.

The pre-trial conference is set for June 18, with both the Duterte camp and the House prosecution panel directed to submit their pre-trial briefs by June 15 , and the trial proper is scheduled to begin on July 6, 2026.  

“The process is on track. The rules are clear. And the constitutional threshold — 16 votes, will be faithfully observed. Malinaw ang Saligang Batas. Ang ating tungkulin ay sundin ang Konstitusyon, at iyon ang aming gagawin,” Gatchalian said. 

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Photo by Mark Cayabyab / OS WIN GATCHALIAN