Lacson misses point in P500M Sara trial cost dispute — Panelo

Vice President Sara Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. on Wednesday maintained that his concern over public spending on her impeachment trial remained unanswered by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who disputed his estimate that the Senate effectively spent ₱500 million on 20 trial days.

Panelo said he was questioning why the time and government resources devoted to three impeachment articles later withdrawn by the prosecution could not have been used for legislative work, clarifying that he was not accusing the Senate of wasting public funds.

“I was simply asking why members of the Senate majority appear unperturbed by that decision, when the time and resources spent on those 20 days could have been used for legislative work and hearings that actually serve the Filipino people,” Panelo said.

“The decision to withdraw the articles, thereby rendering 20 trial days useless, was the prosecution’s, and the blame should rest on them,” he added.

Lacson earlier called for Panelo to correct his estimate that the Senate effectively spent ₱500 million on the 20 days, based on the chamber’s estimated ₱25-million daily operating expenses.

“The P25M per day clearly refers to the legislative functions of the Senate, not to the impeachment trial as misinterpreted,” Lacson said in a media release.

“Where did he get his P25M/day figure?” he asked.

The senator said the figure covered the Senate’s regular legislative operations, not the impeachment trial. He added that the 2025 General Appropriations Act allocated ₱27.5 million specifically for impeachment proceedings, most of which remained unspent, with about ₱2 million disbursed for items including senator-judges’ robes.

The Senate impeachment court accepted the prosecution’s withdrawal of three articles, leaving the charge involving alleged unexplained wealth and undisclosed business interests for adjudication.