VP’s request for Senate to shoulder impeachment trial food costs ‘improper, funny’—Garin

House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin has described Vice President Sara Duterte's request for the Senate to shoulder the catering costs for the defense panel in an impeachment trial as "improper and funny." Garin stated that the Vice President's Office (OVP) has its own budget and should cover such expenses. In a letter dated July 7, 2026, addressed to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, Duterte requested that food and beverages for her legal team and witnesses be sourced from the OVP's accredited caterer, with the Senate bearing the costs. The letter cited "legitimate security concerns" as the reason for requiring meals to be served only in their designated holding room. Garin expressed concern that such a request could compromise the independence of the Senate, the prosecution panel, and the defense panel in the impeachment proceedings. She noted that this arrangement is unheard of in regular court proceedings, likening it to telling the court to "shoulder the costs for the food of our lawyers and our colleagues," which could be interpreted as disrespect to the Senate. Furthermore, Garin suggested that the OVP's request to not use the Senate's caterers might be perceived as an insult, implying a distrust in the Senate's food provisions. "You seem to doubt the Senate that the food that they will serve the people may have placed poison," Garin remarked. This echoes previous discussions when the OVP inquired about bringing its own equipment, including a refrigerator and coffee maker, to the defense panel's holding area.