The majority of senators thumbed down Vice President Sara Duterte's request for the Senate to shoulder the catering expenses for her defense lawyers in the impeachment trial, as it is not within the chamber's approved budget, Senator Erwin Tulfo said Thursday. 

The matter was among those discussed in the “mini caucus” convened by senators allied in the majority bloc on Wednesday, the last day of the presentation of evidence on Article IV, which concerns “grave threats” made by Duterte against President Marcos Jr. in several public statements in late 2024.

Tulfo said it is Senate President Win Gatchalian who has the final say on Duterte’s request, although it was agreed upon by the majority of their peers not to foot the bill since there is no authorized budget for such, and insisting on it may lead to expenses being flagged by state auditors. 

“The majority's decision was like, ‘Why should we shoulder the cost?’ How do we explain that? Where will we get the funds to pay for their food, especially since they will also be the ones choosing the caterer?” Tulfo told reporters partly in Filipino.

The VP, who is on trial, wrote Gatchalian on 7 July requesting that the Senate cover the catering services, in addition to other food and beverages, for her defense team, support staff, and their witnesses while the proceedings are underway. 

However, it would be “sourced, prepared, and served exclusively by the OVP’s accredited caterer” due to security concerns. 

Since it falls outside the Senate's budget, Tulfo remarked that senators rejected the request as “we might get flagged” by the Commission on Audit. 

Earlier this week, Gatchalian confirmed that the Senate has not incurred additional expenses since the impeachment trial began on 6 July, as the proceedings are being handled like the regular session. 

The prosecution and the defense, he noted, cover their own expenses, such as for printers and the Internet, since the Senate only provides basic services. 

Senate Secretary Renato Bantug previously said that the prosecution panel had its own catering services, similar to the defense. 

The impeachment trial is expected to last until November this year, though the schedule may be adjusted since the prosecution dropped eight witnesses for Article 4. 

The House prosecution panel lodged four articles against the VP, accusing her of graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and high crimes. 

The charges are primarily related to the alleged misuse of her P612.5 million in confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery in the Department of Education during her time as its secretary, and a plot to kill President Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Duterte had repeatedly dismissed the allegations of wrongdoing, deriding the impeachment proceedings as a fishing expedition and politically motivated to prevent a political contest with the administration's bet in the 2028 elections.

The VP only needs nine votes from senator-judges to be acquitted of any one of the four charges. Conversely, 16 votes in favor of conviction could remove her from office and permanently bar her from seeking one, potentially blocking her presidential bid.