VP Camp's Senate Hearing Requests: Coffee Maker, Caterer Draw Humorous Response from House Prosecutors

MANILA, Philippines — Specific requests made by the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte for a holding room, equipped with a refrigerator and a coffee maker, as well as their own caterer, in the Senate have been met with approval — and humor — by the House prosecution panel. House Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said on Monday there is nothing new with such requests as they made similar ones during the hearings at the lower chamber, and the prosecution sees no need to object if this would make the defense feel they would function well. “Hindi naman bago ‘yon sa amin kasi do’n pa lang sa hearing sa House no’n may dala rin silang mga sariling baon nila saka supplies. So baka may mga specifications siguro sila na kailangan, at saka baka… minsan kasi pag mahilig ka sa mga iba-ibang klaseng kape medyo mas ano ka eh, partikular ka sa lasa ng kape,” Ortega said during a media briefing. (It is not new to us because in the past, at the hearing before the House, they brought with them their own food and supplies. So maybe there are specifications needed, and maybe… sometimes if you know different kinds of coffee, you are particular with the taste of coffee.) “May mga gano’n kasi na parang they function better with good coffee. Eh siyempre kami naman ni Cong. Zia (Alonto Adiong) 3-in-1 lang kami, okay na. So more on admin naman ‘yong mga sinabi ni Sec. Bantug, so baka ‘yon lang, more on specifics lang if ever they decide to attend or bless us with their presence,” he added, referring to the Senate secretary Renato “Rey” Bantug, Jr., who is also the concurrent impeachment clerk-of-court. (Some people function better with good coffee. But for me and Cong. Zia (Alonto Adiong) we are okay with 3-in-1 coffee. So the things mentioned by Sec. Bantug dwell more on administrative matters, more on specifics if ever they decide to attend or bless us with their presence.) Amid Duterte’s impeachment which began last July 6, the vice president also grabbed the headlines after her office inquired about the possibility of bringing its own equipment, including a refrigerator and coffee maker, to the holding area assigned to the defense panel. The request was made when OVP chief-of-staff and Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez visited the Senate last Thursday, per Bantug. Bantug clarified that such requests are not unusual, noting that the prosecution team contracted their own caterer and brought in their own equipment. “In the previous impeachment trial, I also coordinated with both panels and they also brought in some equipment,” he added in a message sent to the Inquirer. Ortega however said that if the defense has a coffee maker, maybe they can ask for coffee from them. “Kung may dala na siguro silang kape, baka pwede rin kami maki-kape sa kanila? Kasi si (Manila Rep.) Joel Chua dinadalahan niya kami ng hopia kada hearing natin, ‘yong Master’s Hopia, masarap ‘yon, old school sa Binondo,” he said. (If they bring with them coffee, maybe we can also ask for coffee from them? Because (Manila Rep.) Joel Chua brings us hopia every hearing, Master’s Hopia, it tastes ‘yon, old school style from Binondo.) “Nag-request nga ako today siopao naman sana maiba. Chicken siopao kasi Muslim si Cong. Zia. Siguro maganda rin na may (coffee), di ba? Iba ‘pag masarap din ‘yong kape eh, parang it perks you up ‘di ba? […] Sana kung may sobra sila, bigyan nila kami,” he added. (I requested that we have siopao today so it would be different. Chicken siopao because Cong. Zia is a Muslim. Maybe it’s good if we have (coffee) also, right? It’s different if there’s coffee, it perks you up right? […] I hope if they have extra, they will give us some.) The fourth day of the impeachment trial of Duterte will commence at 2:00 p.m., with the prosecution expected to present lawyer Jeremy Lotoc, who is a Regional Director at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), still for the discussions on Article IV of the Articles for Impeachment. Article IV deals with threats allegedly made by Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. In an online briefing last November 23, 2024, Duterte lashed out at the Marcos couple and Romualdez after her chief-of-staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, was detained within the House premises. At one point, Duterte told a vlogger that they should not worry about her security as she has already contracted an assassin to kill the President, the First Lady, and the former Speaker. Lopez’s detention came after she was cited for contempt by the House committee on good government and public accountability of the 19th Congress, as she supposedly committed undue interference during the panel’s investigation of alleged confidential fund misuse within Duterte’s offices. Aside from Lotoc, the prosecution announced last Wednesday that they plan to present Lopez on Tuesday, and then Capt. Belinda Bello of the House of Representatives’ Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms for Wednesday. /edv