Minority senators boycott voting for VP Sara's conviction threshold

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Minority senators, except for Mark Villar, did not participate in the voting on the threshold needed to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte after the Senate impeachment court rejected Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano's motion to defer the matter to the Supreme Court.

Thirteen senator-judges voted against Cayetano’s move for the deferment of the scheduled vote on the threshold.

Among the six senator-judges who voted in favor of Cayetano's move were Pia Cayetano, Christopher "Bong" Go, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Camille Villar.

While on break, reporters asked Cayetano if he would return back to the plenary. He responded, "Depends kung ano po ang ite-take up." (It depends on what will be taken up.)

Meanwhile, Go and Marcos were seen not wearing their red robes.

After the senators took a lunch break, Alan Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Go, Marcos, Padilla, and Camille Villar did not participate in the voting for the threshold.

Only Senator Mark Villar from the minority participated and voted "yes."

The Senate impeachment court has voted to lower the threshold required to convict Duterte in her impeachment trial.

This came following the presentation of arguments by the House prosecution panel and Duterte’s defense team.

On July 6, Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero ruled that the threshold needed to convict is 16, which is the two-thirds of the 24 members of the Senate.

The Constitution, however, does not state a number but reads “no [impeachable] person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members of the Senate.”

There are currently four senators who are absent.

Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta are detained on plunder and other related charges due to their alleged involvement in flood control and undeclared campaign donations, respectively.

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, meanwhile, remains at large amid a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court in connection to the previous administration's bloody drug war.

Senator Loren Legarda recently extended her medical leave abroad due to a lung condition. —VAL, GMA News