Manila, Sept. 11 -- Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo said Friday keeping all 24 senators in the voting base for Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial could effectively turn the absence of members into "no" votes.

Tulfo said this is the consequence he wants clarified when the Senate impeachment court hears former Supreme Court justices next week on his appeal questioning how the constitutional two-thirds requirement should be applied.

"Kung included sila, then talagang okay lang, hindi na nila kailangang pumasok pa rito. Actually, 'no' vote na ho yun. Kasi wala namang abstention dito, 'yes' or 'no' lang (If they are included, then they really no longer need to come here. Actually, that is already a 'no' vote because there is no absten...