Thursday 24 September 2026 · Edition of the day

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The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories
1
Average plausibility
70%
How to read the score
It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.
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01PoliticsAsia-Pacific

Philippine Senate lowers the conviction threshold in Sara Duterte's impeachment trial

A rule change raises the odds of a guilty verdict and a lifetime political ban for the vice president.

The Philippine Senate approved a motion on 23 September 2026 so the two-thirds conviction threshold applies only to senators present, not all 24. Bloomberg reported several Duterte-aligned senators face legal trouble, including two under arrest on corruption charges and one in hiding from an international arrest warrant.

What holds up

  • ✓The motion changing the threshold passed on 23 September.
  • ✓At least two Duterte-aligned senators have been arrested on corruption charges.

What doesn't yet

  • ?That the change was timed to disadvantage Duterte's allies is commentators' inference.
  • ?The trial's outcome has not been decided.

Ask before you share

  • →How many senators will actually be present for the vote?
  • →Will Duterte's camp challenge the procedural change in court?
  • →How would a conviction reshape the 2028 race?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]Japan Times / Bloomberg · Published 23 Sept 2026 · japantimes.co.jp