Vice President Sara Duterte's legal team is considering an appeal to the Supreme Court against the impeachment court's recent decision to lower the voting threshold required for her conviction.
Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte's defense, indicated that discussions with the Vice President will determine the next steps.
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.
Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte's defense
The impeachment court's ruling now allows for a conviction with a two-thirds majority of those eligible to vote, which has raised concerns given the current composition of the Senate. Several senators are currently facing charges, are in hiding, or are on medical leave.
While Poa refrained from criticizing the court directly, he emphasized the importance of respecting the decisions made by the senator-judges.
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.
Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte's defense
Following the ruling, Duterte's defense team noted that the Vice President would participate in the trial with increased caution.
Lead defense counsel Sheila Sison reaffirmed that Duterte is not evading accountability but is entitled to explore all legal avenues available to her.