Impeachment trial won’t delay 2026 budget, says House spokesman

THE IMPEACHMENT trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio will not delay the passage of the 2026 national budget, according to a House of Representatives spokeswoman.

“We have a prosecution panel for the impeachment trial, while the rest of the members of the House can continue holding hearings for the 2026 General Appropriations bill,” Priscilla Marie T. Abante, the chamber’s spokeswoman, told a news briefing in mixed English and Filipino. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

But the House prefers that Ms. Duterte’s trial be swiftly dealt, she added.

“The consequence of delaying the impeachment trial is that it won’t just affect the budget — it will affect the people,” Ms. Abante said. “We want to resolve the issues surrounding Vice-President Duterte, so let’s proceed with the trial.”

Ms. Duterte’s trial is expected to start in late July under the 20^th Congress.

The budget process for next year’s spending plan is expected to kick off in August after the Executive branch submits the budget proposal to the House, according to a Budget department briefer.

Under the 1987 Constitution, Malacañang must transmit the proposed budget within 30 days after the opening of the regular session of Congress, which begins on July 28.

The budget bill is initially heard by the House committee on appropriations for months before moving to plenary debates. To fast-track the process, the Senate finance panel often starts discussing the proposed budget before congressmen formally submit it to the Senate.

Critics have accused the Senate of stalling Ms. Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Senators acting as trial judges voted to return the impeachment complaint to the House to certify that lawmakers did not violate the Constitution when it impeached the Vice-President.

“The additional requirements being asked of the prosecution panel aren’t part of the Constitution,” Ms. Abante said. “The only constitutional requirement is a verified complaint that is sufficient in form and substance, approved by members of the House of Representatives.”

Ms. Duterte, who was impeached without a hearing, on Monday said congressmen who signed her impeachment complaint did not read the document.

More than 200 congressmen endorsed a fourth complaint against the Vice-President that was directly sent to the Senate before Congress took a break in February.

“When they signed and took their oath, that included a declaration that they had read, understood and affirmed their agreement to proceed with the impeachment against Vice-President Sara and to transmit it to the Senate,” Ms. Abante said.

“The over 200 congressmen who signed the impeachment complaint did so not for money or any favor they might receive, but out of principle — their own personal conviction,” she added.

Ms. Duterte’s impeachment is the culmination of a months-long feud with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. after his House allies launched an inquiry into her use of confidential and intelligence funds.

She denies all the accusations in the impeachment complaint, from budget anomalies to amassing unusual wealth and threatening the lives of Mr. Marcos, his wife and the Speaker. 

Meanwhile, Senate impeachment court spokesman Reginald A. Tongol urged the House to comply with the court order last week to avoid further delays.

“It is up to the (House), whether to comply or not,” he told a news briefing. “This is the order of the impeachment court, and any lawyer or litigant should comply first before complaining.”

Mr. Tongol said House prosecutors should prepare their case against Ms. Duterte instead of criticizing and fighting the court.

“They may not agree with the actions of the court, but it is still the court that has been vested by the Constitution with the power to solely try and decide impeachment cases,” he said.

Earlier, Antonio Audie Z. Bucoy, spokesman for the House prosecution team, accused the impeachment court of “foot dragging” and delaying the impeachment proceedings.

“We have been expecting communication from the House as to their compliance,” Mr. Tongol said. “Seven days have passed and there has been no notice filed to the impeachment court.”

“They have instead spent their energy criticizing the impeachment court,” he added.

Ms. Duterte has until June 23 to comment on the summons issued by the court, and House prosecutors have until June 30 to submit their reply, Mr. Tongol said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio and Adrian H. Halili