Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the minority bloc will continue attending the succeeding days of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Sen. Imee Marcos also confirmed the position during an ambush interview with members of the media.
The minority bloc did not participate in the Senate impeachment court’s vote on the conviction threshold on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Cayetano explained that they chose not to participate because they opposed voting on the issue of changing the threshold. He compared the matter to something that should not be consumed.
Before the vote, Cayetano and other minority senators challenged the move to revisit the threshold and sought to have the issue deferred to the Supreme Court. Their appeal was rejected by the impeachment court.
The senators who supported Cayetano’s appeal included Pia Cayetano, Christopher “Bong” Go, Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos and Camille Villar.
After the appeal was rejected, the impeachment court proceeded with the threshold vote. Six minority senators, including Alan Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Bong Go, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla and Camille Villar, did not participate.
The impeachment court later adopted a formula under which the two-thirds requirement would be based on senators who are legally and factually capable of participating in the proceedings. The ruling excludes certain senators who are detained, suspended, legally restrained, have unknown whereabouts, or are physically or medically incapacitated.
Despite their nonparticipation in the threshold vote, Cayetano said the minority bloc would continue attending the impeachment proceedings and respecting the court.
The trial against Duterte remains ongoing.
