Following the Senate’s rejection of the 16-vote threshold in the Vice President’s impeachment trial, former Cagayan de Oro City Mayor and Law Professor Attorney Oscar Moreno warned that the defense team’s planned appeal before the Supreme Court will likely be dismissed for lack of ripeness.
According to the legal expert, seeking intervention from the highest court is premature while no actual vote has been conducted and no final trial outcome has been determined.
The attorney noted that the principle of separation of powers remains intact, designating impeachment as a political matter under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Senate.
Consequently, Moreno stated there is minimal chance of Supreme Court intervention absent a clear showing of grave abuse of discretion by the Senate.
