Manila: Senate President Francis Escudero confirmed that all 215 lawmakers who signed the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte did so using handwritten, or “wet,” signatures, not electronic ones.

According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero revealed in a press briefing that the verification process involved at least four people, each reviewing the signatures no less than twice to confirm their authenticity. He mentioned that an online application was also used to further validate that the signatures were indeed handwritten and not electronic.

Escudero explained that the Senate Secretariat is tasked with ensuring that the impeachment complaint meets the constitutional requirement of at least one-third of House members signing with wet signatures. He emphasized that electronic signatures are not permissible for impeachment complaints, underscoring the importance of adhering to official processes.

“Our job is simple: verify if these are wet signatures, as they must be signed in front of the House Secretary General, and confirm that at least 215 or more than one-third of the signatories are actual members of the House of Representatives,” Escudero stated. He noted that under the law, electronic signatures are only valid for resolutions, proposed bills, and committee reports, but not for impeachment complaints.

With the verification process underway, Escudero assured that the Senate would handle the impeachment case without special treatment, strictly following constitutional guidelines and precedents.