Gatchalian refutes VP camp’s claim of P25M wasted on impeachment trial
Senate President Win Gatchalian on Wednesday shot down claims from Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp that the impeachment trial drains P25 million daily from the Senate’s budget, calling the accusations “completely untrue.”
Gatchalian said impeachment proceedings cost P330,763 per day, which is drastically lower than the estimated P25 million in “wasted public funds” claimed by Duterte’s spokesperson, Paolo Panelo Jr.
“The expenses directly attributable to the trial totaled P14,553,561.70 over 44 trial days, or an average of about P330,763 per day. These covered meals for personnel during extended sessions, supplies, overtime pay, and the rental of an outside venue for budget deliberations, as the trial occupied most of the Senate’s available rooms,” the Senate leader asserted.
His remarks follow scathing criticism from Panelo, who accused the Senate majority of supposedly tolerating the wastage of P500 million in public funds by allowing the prosecution to drop three of the four articles of impeachment three months into the trial.
The P500 million purportedly represents 20 trial days devoted to Articles 1 and 4, based on the estimated P25 million in daily operating costs.
“That (P25 million) figure represents the cost of operating the entire Senate, including personnel and senators’ salaries, maintenance, rentals, and utilities. The Senate spends it with or without an impeachment trial,” Gatchalian rebutted.
Gatchalian also defended incurring such hefty funds for the lengthy trial, arguing that the Senate is constitutionally bound to try and decide impeachment cases.
“We extended our hours and devoted full days to the trial so it could proceed at an acceptable pace, without unduly disrupting the Senate's legislative work and daily operations,” he concluded.
Earlier that day, Senator Ping Lacson also refuted Panelo’s assertions and challenged him to explain how he arrived at such an “obviously misleading” figure.
According to Lacson, the Senate has not spent most of the budget allotted for impeachment in the 2025 budget, having spent only P2 million of the P27.5 million.
If unused this year, the remaining budget could be carried over to next year, ensuring public funds are used properly.
Lacson alleged that Panelo may have made an “honest mistake” and urged him to rectify his supposed misleading claims against the Senate.
Later that day, Panelo claimed he was not pointing an accusing finger at the Senate impeachment court, but was only questioning its alleged lack of concern about holding the prosecution accountable after wasting public resources and time that the Senate could have used for legislative work and congressional hearings that are actually for the public good.