Manila, Sept. 23 -- The Senate impeachment court on Wednesday overturned its earlier ruling requiring 16 votes to convict Vice President Sara Duterte, adopting instead a formula that will count only senators who are legally and factually capable of participating when judgment is rendered.

By a 13-1 vote, with six senator-judges not participating, the court granted Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo's appeal challenging presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero's July 6 interpretation that the constitutional requirement of two-thirds of "all the Members of the Senate" meant 16 votes based on a 24-member chamber.

Tulfo raised the issue on Sept. 8 amid questions over whether senators unable to participate should remain part of the voting base.

Und...