Erwin Tulfo Reveals Why the Senate Refused to Pay for VP Sara Duterte’s Catering
SARA DUTERTE – Senator Erwin Tulfo has shed light on why the Senate is unwilling to pay for the catering services requested by Vice President Sara Duterte during her impeachment proceedings.
Senator Erwin Tulfo said the Senate majority has rejected Vice President Sara Duterte’s request for the chamber to cover catering expenses for her staff, defense team, and witnesses during her ongoing impeachment trial.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Tulfo explained that while the final decision rests with Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, the Senate majority has already expressed opposition to the proposal after discussing it during a mini-caucus.
“How are we going to answer to the COA [Commission on Audit] about that, right? We’ll be asked about it. We discussed it last night during the majority’s mini-caucus, and the decision of the majority was: Why should we be the ones to answer for it? How do we explain that? Where are we going to get the money to pay for the food? And on top of that, they’re the ones choosing the caterer,” Tulfo recounted to the media on Thursday.
According to Tulfo, the Senate does not have a designated budget for the meals of personnel from the Office of the Vice President (OVP). He emphasized that approving such a request could raise concerns during audits conducted by the Commission on Audit (COA), particularly if funds are diverted from their intended purpose.
The request originated from a letter dated July 7 and signed by Vice President Duterte, which was addressed to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. In the letter, Duterte asked the Senate to “shoulder the reasonable costs of food and beverage and catering services for the defense team, support staff, and witnesses.”
The proposal further specified that all meals and beverages should be “sourced, prepared, and served exclusively by the OVP’s accredited caterer” to ensure both security and quality assurance throughout the proceedings.
The issue comes as Duterte’s impeachment trial continues before the Senate. Lawmakers previously allotted a total of 92 trial days to hear the case, which involves allegations of unexplained wealth, bribery, misuse of confidential funds, and grave threats.
As of now, only nine of the scheduled trial days have been completed since the impeachment proceedings officially opened on July 6. The remaining trial days are expected to cover the presentation of evidence, witness testimonies, and legal arguments from both the prosecution and the defense before the Senate reaches its final judgment on the impeachment case.
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