Former Chief Justice urges absent senators to withdraw from Duterte impeachment trial

During a Senate debate, Panganiban argued that any senator-judge who failed to attend Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial ought to inhibit themselves from the vote. The comment followed Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros asking how to handle members who took the oath but were absent. Panganiban stressed that non-participation undermines the assessment of evidence and that the issue of lowering the conviction vote threshold should not affect absentee senators.