Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp on Wednesday warned that lowering the Senate’s 16-vote threshold for conviction in her impeachment trial could let the government influence the outcome by targeting senators who may oppose it.

Duterte spokesperson Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. raised the possibility as the Senate impeachment court heard arguments from retired Supreme Court justices on whether the constitutional two-thirds requirement should be computed from all 24 senators or only those able to participate in the proceedings.

“We should not discuss this without context,” Panelo told reporters.

He questioned why some senators were unable to participate in the trial and whether reducing the number of senators counted in the denominator could create an opportunity for those in power to influence the composition of the impeachment court.

“If the denominator, this 16, can be lowered, you are inviting those in power, the government, to target those senators who they expect will not vote in favor of what they want,” Panelo said. Lisa Marie Apacible

The Senate impeachment court has been grappling with the issue after Presiding Officer Francis Escudero ruled that 16 votes, or two-thirds of the 24-member Senate, are required to convict Duterte.