Sara Duterte Says the 2027 Budget Is a 'Bargaining Chip' on Senator-Judges; Gatchalian and Lacson Say No, and Dispute Her Camp's ₱25-Million-a-Day Cost Figure

**Vice President Sara Duterte alleged on Wednesday that the unpassed 2027 budget is being used as a "bargaining chip" over the senators judging her impeachment. Senate President Win Gatchalian denied it on Thursday; no evidence for the allegation was reported.** According to the Daily Tribune's Edjen Oliquino, Duterte made the claim a day after the prosecution dropped Articles 1, 3 and 4 from the impeachment case, leaving the unexplained-wealth charge. She said the budget was being used to pressure senator-judges and to "reward" House lawmakers who voted for her impeachment, warned that it should not serve "the political survival of corrupt officials," and called the proceedings "political theater disguised as accountability." ## The denials Gatchalian categorically rejected the claim, the Tribune reported. "There's no such thing being dangled before the senator-judges," he said in a Filipino-language interview, adding that accepting such claims would compromise the court and that the budget is unconnected to the impeachment judgment. Sen. Ping Lacson said the sweeping statement was unfair to senators who have upheld the integrity of the budget and fought corruption in it. The Tribune's report does not say that Duterte or her camp offered documents, names or specific incidents to support the "bargaining chip" claim. ## The cost fight Duterte's spokesperson, Atty. Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., said the dropped articles wasted ₱500 million over 20 trial days, or ₱25 million a day, per the Tribune. Gatchalian and Lacson disputed that, saying the figure reflects the cost of running the entire Senate whether or not impeachment proceeds. Gatchalian put the impeachment costs at ₱330,763 per day, or ₱14.56 million over 44 trial days starting July 6, drawn from a ₱25.7-million continuing appropriation in the 2025 budget, the Tribune reported. He said ₱13 million remains, enough for the remaining trial days. ## What is still unknown The two sides' cost figures cannot both be right, and the Tribune's report does not say how Panelo derived his number or whether the Senate has published an itemized breakdown. Nor is it reported whether the prosecution has explained why three articles were dropped just before the defense was due to present. ## Context The Senate's impeachment court allowed the prosecution to drop the articles three months into the trial; Duterte's camp says that left the allegations unchallenged. Pulpulitiko has covered the trial's bank-record and AMLC testimony, and the House's passage of the ₱7.2-trillion 2027 budget, which the Senate has said it will review independently. *Analysis: An allegation that a budget is being dangled over judges is serious, but it is an assertion until someone puts a name, a line item or a conversation behind it. The Senate President's denial is likewise a denial, not proof. Both sides have so far offered statements rather than documents.* ## Sources - Edjen Oliquino, "Win, Ping deny budget manipulation in Sara impeach trial," Daily Tribune, Oct. 15, 2026 — https://tribune.net.ph/2026/10/15/win-ping-deny-budget-manipulation-in-sara-impeach-trial