The Philippine Senate has set aside more than P26 million that could be tapped to bankroll a potential impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with a senior senator confirming the chamber is financially prepared to proceed.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on Accounts, traced the available funds to a P27 million allocation under the 2025 General Appropriations Act. Of that amount, roughly P500,000 was drawn when the first set of articles of impeachment against Duterte was transmitted to the Senate in February last year.
Because the appropriation falls under continuing appropriations valid for two years, the remaining balance remains accessible. “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.
A fresh round of impeachment proceedings is now underway in the lower chamber, where the House Committee on Justice has been holding hearings on new complaints filed against the Vice President. Duterte has maintained that the complaints lack merit and should be dismissed.
The current push comes after a turbulent first attempt. The House voted in February 2025 to impeach Duterte, with more than 200 congressmen endorsing the verified complaint. The Senate, however, later voted to shelve the articles after the Supreme Court declared that impeachment unconstitutional.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who is expected to preside over any impeachment court, has said the Senate will act “forthwith” should new articles reach the upper chamber. On the question of robes for senator-judges, Sotto indicated no new purchases would be needed. “The ones they had last year will do,” he said.
