The Philippines' senate votes to lower threshold for conviction in vice president's impeachment trial

The Philippine Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, on Wednesday lowered the number of votes needed to ‌convict Vice President Sara Duterte, reducing the threshold prosecutors must clear to secure a guilty verdict. The court ruled that only senator-judges that are able to participate in the trial should be counted when determining the threshold for conviction. Four of the 24 senator-judges have been unable to participate in the proceedings and cannot vote. The ​constitution requires a two-thirds vote to convict an impeached official, so the decision means prosecutors now need 14 votes instead of ​16 to gain a conviction. The decision could have broader implications if more senator-judges become unable to participate in ⁠the proceedings.
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