Senator-judge Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday said the Senate impeachment court’s hearing on the views of four former Supreme Court justices could be one of the most important moments for senator-judges in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.

Lacson said the former magistrates could help guide the court on key constitutional questions, including whether the required two-thirds vote for conviction should be counted from all 24 senators or only from those able to participate in the proceedings.

“Tomorrow could be the biggest day of the impeachment trial for the senator-judges,” Lacson said in a post on X.

The court is set to hear the views of retired Chief Justices Hilario Davide Jr., Artemio Panganiban and Reynato Puno, and retired Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna.

Davide and Azcuna were members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Constitution.

“We will hear from three ex-Supreme Court CJs and one former associate justice. Two were also members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission who helped craft the 1987 Constitution,” Lacson said.

The amici curiae, or friends of the court, were invited as the court prepares to resolve Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo’s motion for reconsideration on the 16-vote threshold for conviction.

Lacson earlier said senator-judges should listen to the former justices “word for word” because the present trial poses a novel situation involving members who may be 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 (Does it mean 15 senator-judges will still continue hearing the impeachment trial of an impeachable official if everyone knows it would already be moot and academic because the number cannot reach 16)?” he said.

Under the Constitution, conviction in an impeachment trial requires the concurrence of two-thirds of all members of the Senate. (PNA)