Sotto slams Imee for linking 2026 budget to Sara Duterte impeachment

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Friday described as "unfair and baseless" the allegation of Senator Imee Marcos that alleged maneuverings in the 2026 national budget could be used to propel another impeachment bid against Vice President Sara Duterte.

According to Sotto, financial aid under the 2026 budget cannot be "dangled" to lawmakers to push for Duterte's impeachment as the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) already features the "Anti-Epal" provision.

"No, I don't think so, it's not possible. Her accusations are unfair and baseless. Hindi ko maintindihan kung paano mangyayari 'yun. Paano ida-dangle eh hindi na nga puwede makialam ang mga politiko? Paano ida-dangle, sa mga kongresman, para sa impeachment? Wala nang ganoon. No such thing," the Senate President said. 

(No, I don't think so, it's not possible. Her accusations are unfair and baseless. I don't understand how that can happen. How can it be dangled when politicians can no longer participate in the distribution? How can it be dangled to congressmen for the impeachment? There is no such thing.)

Signed budget

Senator Marcos had alleged that the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which was recently signed by her brother, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., was not a developmental budget but a "political" budget.

She claimed that the 2026 budget was chopped into pieces to initiate fresh impeachment plans against Duterte. A new impeachment complaint may be filed against the Vice President in February, the senator pointed out, in time for the end of the mandated one-year ban on such complaints. 

She raised concerns about the alleged "soft pork" in the 2026 budget that may come from financial assistance programs of the government such as the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS). 

However, Sotto maintained that the Senate would not allow such to happen. 

"Una sa lahat, wala kaming pinapayagan na ganu'n. Pangalawa, may particular provision na nilagay si Senator Lacson eh, at diniinan pa ni President Marcos, na hindi puwedeng makialam ang mga politiko. So paano maging pork 'yun?" Sotto asked. 

(First of all, we don't allow anything like that. Second, there is a special provision put in place by Senator Lacson, which President Marcos emphasized, that politicians cannot interfere. So, how can that be pork?)

"Ang problema kapag nagni-nitpicking ka na, 'di ba? Of course, she's entitled to her wrong opinion, este, own opinion," he added. 

(The problem is when you're nitpicking. Of course, she's entitled to her wrong opinion, I mean, own opinion.) 

'Paranoid'

The Senate President also stressed that Duterte's impeachment was not discussed during the budget deliberations.

"Wala, ni hindi nababanggit si VP Sara, except during her budget time. Ewan ko, masyadong nagiging ano 'yung iba, paranoid," he said.

(There's none. VP Sara was not even mentioned, except during her budget time. Others have become too paranoid.) 

President Marcos earlier said the government will "strictly implement" the provision in the 2026 national budget that bars politicians from distributing cash and other forms of financial assistance.

An "anti-epal" special provision was supposedly included in the 2026 GAA, which states that all cash assistance and other forms of financial aid shall be distributed exclusively by authorized government officers and personnel or accredited partners only.

READ: What is the 'Anti-Epal' provision in the 2026 national budget bill?

'Fan Club'
 
Meanwhile in the House of Representatives, House Deputy Minority Leader and Akbayan party-list Representative Perci Cendaña on Friday chided Senator Marcos for claiming that there is pork barrel in the 2026 budget that may be used to gather support for the Vice President's impeachment.

Cendaña endorsed the first impeachment complaint filed against the vice president in December 2024.

"Minsan nga dahil dito sa mga sinasabing ito ng senador, napapaisip tayo—Siya ba ay senador o president ng Sara Duterte Fans Club? Ano 'yung kanyang trabaho? Legislator ba o defender-in-chief?" Cendaña asked.

(Sometimes, with what the senator has been saying, we start to wonder—Is she a senator or the president of the Sara Duterte Fans Club? What is her job? Legislator or defender-in-chief?)

He said that if another impeachment complaint is filed against Duterte after the one-year bar rule expires next month, it will be based on "unresolved" issues related to her leadership of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education—and not on promises of funding for projects.

"So, huwag nating lituhin ang taumbayan. Ang usapin dito, pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan. Ang usapin dito, 'yung nawawalang milyun-milyong piso doon sa intelligence and confidential funds na matapos ng isang taon ay hindi pa rin ipinapaliwanag ng Bise Presidente," Cendaña added.

(So let us not confuse our countrymen. The issues here are her abuses of power, and the millions of pesos in intelligence and confidential funds that the Vice President has yet to explain.)

Why now?

When asked about Davao City 1st District Reprepresentative Paolo Duterte's pronouncements that their family is prepared for attacks against the Vice President as the end of the one-year bar rule nears, Cendaña replied, "Kung handa silang harapin, dapat hinarap na nila dati pa. Kasi ang nakita natin ay 'yung paulit-ulit nilang pagtanggi na harapin 'yung proseso, mag-participate sa process, at 'yung paulit-ulit na pagharang doon sa mechanisms for accountability."

(If they are ready to face them, then they should have done that a long time ago, because what we are seeing is their repeated refusal to face and participate in the process, and their repeated blocking of mechanisms for accountability.)

Cendaña also said he is unaware of the plans of civil society organizations as of now but assured that "should the citizen complainants from civil society organizations decide to file another impeachment complaint, we are more than ready [to endorse the complaint.]"

Impeach BBM, too?

In an online interview on Monday, House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Caloocan 2nd district Representative Edgar Erice said that should an impeachment complaint be filed anew against Duterte, an impeachment complaint should also be filed against President Marcos for his failure to ensure the proper use of the national budget.

"Masagwa na ang fa-file-an namin si VP Sara ng P125 million confidential funds, P500 million DepEd funds as against trillion pesos na hindi pa rin naipapaliwanag ni Presidente Marcos kung bakit niya pinayagan for three years na salaulain ng Kongreso 'yung pondo na 'yon," Erice said.

(We will file our complaint in relation to VP Sara's alleged P125 million confidential funds, P500-million DepEd funds, as against a trillion pesos that President Marcos has yet to explain why he allowed Congress to misuse it for three years.)

However, Cendaña said these are separate issues.

"Hindi natin dapat i-leverage itong issue na ito sa kabilang issue. Sa dulo, dapat we should go where the evidence will lead us... kung magdedesisyon 'yung mga civil society organizations, we will work closely with them," Cendaña stated.

(We should not leverage this issue with another issue. In the end, we should go where the evidence will lead us... if civil society organizations decide similarly, we shall work closely with them.)

Expiring ban

Cendana said an impeachment complaint may be filed against the Vice President as soon as the one-year bar expires, even if the Supreme Court has not decided yet on the motion for reconsideration filed last year by the House of Representatives.

"Pero mainam sana before that happens, lumabas na 'yung Supreme Court ruling on the motion for reconsideration para hindi tayo pabalik-balik. Kasi ang nangyayari dahil dito sa cycle na ito, nade-delay yung dapat proseso ng pagpapanagot sa mga nang-abuso sa kapangyarihan," Cendaña said.

(It would be better if before that happens, the Supreme Court issues its ruling on the motion for reconsideration so we don't go back and forth. What's happening with this cycle is that the supposed process of making those who abused their authority gets delayed.)

Asked if an impeachment complaint would prosper under the leadership of House Speaker and Isabela 6th district Representative Faustino "Bojie" Dy III, Cendaña replied, "Ito ay regardless of the dynamics in the House of Representatives. Dapat talaga ginagawa ng trabaho ng mga nasa Kongreso 'yung pagpapanagot sa mga nang-abuso sa kapangyarihan as mandated by the Constitution. So tingin ko regardless of the current dynamics, talagang duty-bound ang House of Representatives to act on immediately should an impeachment complaint be filed."

House Appropriations Committee Vice Chairperson and Palawan 2nd district Representative Jose Alvarez called on Senator Marcos to point out provisions in the 2026 General Appropriations Act that it may be used in the vice president's impeachment as he is not aware of any.

"Kung alam kamo niya, paalarma niya agad para mabisto... Pakitanong na lang kung saan doon. 'Di ko makita. Baka bulag ako," Alvarez said in a message to GMA Integrated News.

(If she knows the supposed pork provisions, sound the alarm right away so everybody knows... Please ask her where it is in the 2006 GAA. I can't see it. I might be blind.)

Asked if there was soft pork barrel in the 2026 budget that may be used to push for the Vice President's impeachment, Alvarez replied, "None that I know of." — VDV, GMA Integrated News