At least P26-M ready for possible impeachment trial vs Sara Duterte — Lacson

The Senate has at least a P26 million budget that could be used to fund the possible impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Accounts, said the amount came from the P27 million allocated under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), of which around P500,000 was spent when the articles of impeachment against Duterte were first transmitted to the Senate in February last year. 

“Since the fund is good for two years under ‘continuing appropriations,’ [the] Senate is financially able and ready to conduct the trial if and when the articles of impeachment are transmitted,” Lacson said. 

To recall, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte in February 2025 with over 200 congressmen endorsing the verified complaint against her. This was transmitted to the Senate as the articles of impeachment. 

The Senate later voted to transfer to the archives the articles of impeachment against the Vice President, following the Supreme Court's decision declaring her impeachment unconstitutional. 

Impeachment proceedings against Duterte are again rolling this year, with the House Committee on Justice conducting a series of hearings on the new complaints filed against the Vice President. 

Duterte has repeatedly said the complaints should be dismissed due to lack of evidence. 

Should the impeachment trial proceed, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said there is no need for the senator-judges to get new robes.

“The ones they had last year will do,” he said. 

Sotto, who is expected to sit as the presiding officer of the impeachment court, has stood firm that the Senate will act “forthwith” on the articles of impeachment that may possibly be transmitted to the upper chamber.  —RF, GMA News