The Philippine Senate, acting as an impeachment court, issued a procedural ruling on Wednesday that alters the mathematical threshold for convicting Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. By deciding that the two-thirds majority required for conviction will be calculated based only on the senator-judges participating in the trial, the Senate has effectively lowered the bar for a successful impeachment outcome.

Under the Philippine constitution, a two-thirds vote of the Senate is required to convict an official. Previously, there was ambiguity regarding whether this meant two-thirds of the entire Senate membership or two-thirds of those present. The new ruling clarifies that the threshold will be based on active participants.

Political analysts suggest this move could accelerate the impeachment process, but it also risks deepening the divide within the country’s political landscape. The impeachment trial has become a focal point of tension between the Vice-President and her political rivals. While the procedural change makes a conviction mathematically easier to achieve, observers note that the trial remains a highly contentious issue that could further polarize the public. The ruling is expected to be a major factor in the upcoming stages of the proceedings, as both supporters and opponents of the Vice-President prepare for the next phase of the trial.