The appearance of four former Supreme Court justices on Wednesday could be the biggest day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial for the senator-judges, Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.
Lacson said the four, two of whom were members of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Constitution, could guide them on key issues in the trial, including the voting threshold for conviction.
In Filipino: Lacson: Pagharap ng mga Dating Mahistrado ng SC Maaaring Pinakamalaking Araw para sa mga Senator-Judge sa VP Impeachment Trial
“Tomorrow could be the biggest day of the impeachment trial for the senator-judges. We will hear from three (3) ex Supreme Court CJ’s (Davide, Panganiban and Puno) and one (1) former associate justice (Azcuna). Two (Davide and Azcuna) were also members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission who helped craft the 1987 Constitution,” he said on his X account Tuesday afternoon.
Tomorrow could be the biggest day of the impeachment trial for the senator-judges. We will hear from three (3) ex Supreme Court CJ’s (Davide, Panganiban and Puno) and one (1) former associate justice (Azcuna). Two (Davide and Azcuna) were also members of the 1986 Constitutional…
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) September 15, 2026
He was referring to retired Chief Justices Artemio Panganiban, Reynato Puno and Hilario Davide Jr. and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna. Davide and Azcuna were members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.
In an interview on DZBB radio last Sunday, Lacson said it is important for the senator-judges to hear what the four “amici curiae (friends of the court)” will say, “word for word.”
After hearing the amici curiae’s presentation, the senator-judges are expected to vote on Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo’s motion for reconsideration involving the 16-vote, or two-thirds-of-all-members, threshold for conviction.
Lacson said the current impeachment trial presents a novel scenario where some senator-judges may not be able to attend the trial because some are detained, abroad, or in hiding.
“Ibig sabihin ang 15 senator-judges, magpapatuloy pa rin ba sa pagdinig ng impeachment trial ng impeachable official kung alam ng lahat na moot and academic kasi hindi aabot sa 16 ang numero (What if only 15 senator-judges remain, will the impeachment trial of an impeachable official continue even if everyone knows it would be moot and academic because the number would not reach 16),” he said.
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Lacson: Pagharap ng mga Dating Mahistrado ng SC Maaaring Pinakamalaking Araw para sa mga Senator-Judge sa VP Impeachment Trial
Ang pagharap sa Miyerkules ng apat na dating mahistrado ng Korte Suprema ay maaaring maging pinakamalaking araw para sa mga senator-judge sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte, ayon kay Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes.
Diin ni Lacson, maaaring magsilbing gabay ang apat, kabilang ang dalawa na naging miyembro ng Constitutional Commission na bumalangkas sa 1987 Constitution, sa mahahalagang usapin sa paglilitis, kabilang ang kinakailangang bilang ng boto para sa conviction.
“Tomorrow could be the biggest day of the impeachment trial for the senator-judges. We will hear from three (3) ex Supreme Court CJ’s (Davide, Panganiban and Puno) and one (1) former associate justice (Azcuna). Two (Davide and Azcuna) were also members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission who helped craft the 1987 Constitution,” pahayag niya sa kanyang X account nitong Martes ng hapon.
Tinutukoy niya sina retired Chief Justices Artemio Panganiban, Reynato Puno at Hilario Davide Jr. at retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna. Naging miyembro ng 1986 Constitutional Commission sina Davide at Azcuna.
Sa panayam sa DZBB radio nitong Linggo, sinabi ni Lacson na mahalagang marinig ng mga senator-judge ang sasabihin ng apat na “amici curiae (friends of the court),” “word for word.”
Matapos ang presentasyon ng mga amici curiae, inaasahang boboto ang mga senator-judge sa motion for reconsideration ni Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo kaugnay ng 16 na boto, o two-thirds ng lahat ng miyembro, na kinakailangan para sa conviction.
Sinabi ni Lacson na naghaharap ang kasalukuyang impeachment trial ng isang “novel” na sitwasyon kung saan maaaring hindi makadalo ang ilang senator-judge dahil ang ilan ay nakakulong, nasa ibang bansa, o nagtatago.
“Ibig sabihin ang 15 senator-judges, magpapatuloy pa rin ba sa pagdinig ng impeachment trial ng impeachable official kung alam ng lahat na moot and academic kasi hindi aabot sa 16 ang numero,” aniya.
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