The majority of senators have rejected Vice President Sara Duterte’s request that the chamber pay for a catering service for her defense team during her impeachment trial, saying the expenditure is not covered by the Senate’s budget, Sen. Erwin Tulfo said Thursday.

The issue was discussed during a “mini caucus” of senators in the majority bloc on Wednesday, the final day of the presentation of evidence on Article IV of the impeachment complaint, which concerns Duterte’s alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in public statements made in late 2024

Tulfo said Senate President Win Gatchalian would make the final decision but noted that the majority agreed the Senate should not pay for the defense team’s food and beverages because there is no budget allocation for the expense and doing so might prompt the Commission on Audit (CoA) to issue a disallowance.

“We might get flagged,” he said, referring to the CoA.

“The majority’s decision was, ‘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, speaking partly in Filipino.

Duterte wrote Gatchalian on 7 July requesting that the Senate pay for a catering service for her lawyers, support staff, and witnesses throughout the trial.

For defense’s security

She said the meals should be “sourced, prepared, and served exclusively by the OVP’s accredited caterer” because of security concerns.

Earlier this week, Gatchalian said the Senate had not incurred additional expenses since the impeachment trial began on 6 July because the proceedings have been conducted like regular session days.

He said both the prosecution and defense panels shoulder their own operational expenses, including printing and internet services, while the Senate provides only basic support.

Senate Secretary Renato Bantug earlier said the House prosecution panel, like the defense, has its own catering arrangement.

The impeachment trial is expected to run until November, although the schedule may change after the prosecution dropped eight witnesses for Article IV.

4 charges

The House prosecution panel filed four articles of impeachment against Duterte, accusing her of graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and high crimes.

The charges stem from the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, alleged unexplained wealth, alleged bribery during her tenure as education secretary, and a threat to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Duterte has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, describing the impeachment proceedings as politically motivated and a fishing expedition intended to prevent her from running in the 2028 presidential election.

Under the Constitution, Duterte needs the votes of at least nine senator-judges to avoid conviction on any of the four articles of impeachment.

Conviction requires the votes of 16 senator-judges, which would remove her from office and permanently disqualify her from holding public office.