Metro Manila, Philippines – The Senate cannot afford to shoulder the meals of parties in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Win Gatchalian said as the chamber rejected the request to foot the bill for the defense team’s food, beverages, and catering needs.
In a July 7 letter addressed to Gatchalian, a copy of which was recently obtained by the media, Duterte also requested that the meals be prepared by the Office of the Vice President’s accredited caterer, citing security concerns.
”As these arrangements are required solely in connection with these proceedings, the OVP respectfully requests that the Senate shoulder the reasonable costs of food and beverage and catering services for the defense team, support staff, and witnesses,” the letter read.
Asked about the request on Thursday, July 23, Gatchalian said he has yet to formally respond to Duterte’s letter but added offhand that the Senate does not have the budget for it.
He said the available funds would shoulder the rent of the Philippine International Convention Center for deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget given that the Senate committee rooms are hosting impeachment-related activities.
“So in short, wala kaming pondo para magbigay ng pagkain sa prosecution and defense [we don’t have funds for the food of the prosecution and defense],” Gatchalian said.
“We cannot afford it in short because we would have to rent the space in PICC,” he added.
Other senators were quick to reject the request.
“Madiin kong tinutulan [I strongly objected to it],” said Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, chairperson of the committee on accounts, which handles the Senate budget.
Lacson said the request was discussed during an informal meeting of senators, including Gatchalian.
Lacson said he opposed the OVP request to tap its accredited caterer, noting that the Senate has its own that was selected through the government procurement process.
“For us to accommodate the OVP’s caterer and even shoulder the expenses incurred to feed VP Duterte’s defense team, support staff and witness may be violative of the government procurement law,” he said.
Lacson said the Senate expenses for the impeachment trial are taken from the continuing 2025 appropriations, and that these can cover meals for the prosecution and defense panels, witnesses, senator-judges, and support personnel.
In a separate chance interview, Senator Erwin Tulfo said the majority senators present at a meeting on Wednesday night were against the request.
“The decision of the majority was like, bakit natin sasagutin. How do we explain that? Saan natin kukunin yung bayad sa pagkain tapos sila pa mamimili sa catering,” Tulfo said.
“Wala naman sa budget natin, baka masita tayo. Paano natin i-explain na pinakain natin yung defense team,” he added, recalling conversations during the meeting.
[Translation: The majority’s decision was, ‘Why should the Senate pay for it?’ How do we explain that? Where are we supposed to get the money for the food, especially when they’re the ones choosing the caterer… It’s not in our budget. We might be flagged for it. How are we going to explain that we paid for the defense team’s meals?]
