Sara Duterte's team may appeal lower impeachment voting threshold to SC

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The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte said Wednesday it is mulling over appealing to the Supreme Court the ruling of the Senate impeachment court that lowered the voting threshold to convict her.

Michael Poa, spokesperson of the defense panel, said he would talk to Duterte first regarding the matter.

"Well, siyempre tayo pa rin ay lumahok sa oral arguments kanina, para maipakita lang natin, di lang naman sa impeachment court kundi sa publiko, kung ano ang posisyon ng defense sa usapin ng voting threshold. Ganun pa man, you know, that was the decision of the impeachment court," he said in a press briefing.

(Well, of course we still participated in the oral arguments earlier, just to show—not only to the impeachment court but also to the public—what the defense's position is on the issue of the voting threshold. Be that as it may, you know, that was the decision of the impeachment court.)

"Siyempre, hindi ko naman ide-deny na 'yung pag-akyat sa Supreme Court is a real possibility. As to when, we will have to discuss the matter with our client," Poa added.

(Of course, I won't deny that bringing the matter to the Supreme Court is a real possibility. As to when, we will have to discuss the matter with our client.)

Senator-judges voted 13-1-6 to set the conviction threshold at two-thirds of those who are legally allowed to participate in the proceedings.

This means that Duterte can be convicted with fewer than 16 votes as several senators are facing charges, remain in hiding, or on medical leave.

When asked if they believe the Vice President is being treated unfairly, the defense said they do not want to speak badly about the impeachment court.

"I don't want to say anything negative against the court. But sa amin, ayan po 'yung naging pasya ng bawat senator-judge, and we really have to respect that. But that doesn't mean that we don't have any legal remedies; isa nga 'yung pag-akyat sa Supreme Court," said Poa.

(I don't want to say anything negative against the court. But for us, that was the decision made by each senator-judge, and we really have to respect that. But that doesn't mean that we don't have any legal remedies, one of which is taking it up to the Supreme Court.)

After the senator-judges made the ruling, Duterte's defense team said that the Vice President would now participate in the trial with caution.

Lead defense counsel Sheila Sison said that the Vice President is not trying to evade accountability amid the ongoing impeachment trial against her. But she noted that Duterte has the right to pursue all legal remedies in the wake of the ruling.—AOL, GMA News