CLAIM: An account under RoBert Bmontaño Jrtoncoso shared a post in a group page with over 52,000 members, “Gising na Pilipinas!”, about a circulating statement from recently-elected Senate President Pro Tempore Tito Sotto saying that 11 votes out of 24 senators are enough to impeach the vice president.
RATING: FALSE
WHY: There was no recorded interview or statement release where the Senate President Pro Tempore had actually said it. In fact, Senator Win Gatchalian, the then-Senate President Pro Tempore and a close ally of Sotto, said on June 10 that 16 is the base number to formally and legally impeach the vice president.
“It will remain 16 votes regardless of how many senators attend the trial,” said now-Senate President Win Gatchalian.
In accordance with the 1987 Constitution, under Article XI, Section 3, two-thirds of the total number of senators will be considered and required for Vice President Sara Duterte to be convicted, which is 16 out of 24.
However, debates over the numbers are rising because of the divided bloc of the current Senate, involving the suspension of Jinggoy Estrada and the absent Bato Dela Rosa.
