Geline Salac

'Paano kung Michelin ‘yung caterer?' Ping balks at Senate shouldering cost of OVP caterer

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Friday described as “irregular” the Office of the Vice-President’s request that the Senate shoulder the cost for the OVP&#x27;s own caterer for the VP’s defense team while the impeachment trial is ongoing.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/23/gatchalian-senate-can-t-afford-to-feed-defense-prosecution-in-duterte-impeachment-trial-1532">Gatchalian: Senate can&#x27;t afford to feed defense, prosecution in Duterte impeachment trial</a></div><p>Lacson said the Senate has already spent P4.7 million of a P27.5 million budget for the trial, including expenses on Senate robes, wifi and coffee for the prosecution, defense, support staff and witnesses.</p><p>The senator-judge said there was no problem with the OVP’s request for the Senate to spend for the defense team’s food but balked at the request that the caterer should be chosen by the OVP, saying this could violate the Government Procurement Act.</p><p>“OK lang humingi ng exclusive na i-serve sa holding room ng defense team ‘yung pagkain. OK din ‘yun na sagutin ng Senado. ‘Yung item 3 na caterer ng OVP ang gagamitin, kung napakamahal pala noon, may ipapaliwanag kami sa [Commission on Audit] niyan at may posibleng paglabag sa Government Procurement Act dahil ang caterer namin nag undergo ng bidding yan,” he said.</p><p>“Pag bayarin namin ‘yung caterer ng ibang ahensya, medyo irregular ‘yun. Meron na kaming caterer na existing. Hindi pwedeng kakain sila sa restaurant, sagot namin.”</p><p>He joked: “Paano kung 5-star Michelin pala ‘yung caterer? E di napakamahal nun. Dun na rin ako kakain.”</p><p>Lacson noted the same food and beverages provided for the staff and the prosecution will be provided for the defense if needed.</p><p>“Hindi pwedeng sila ‘yung mamimili. As long as they are in the impeachment premises, hindi sila pagkakaitan.”</p><p>In a separate interview, Senate President Win Gatchalian noted that the Senate impeachment hearings are different from regular committee hearings, saying the impeachment hearings are conducted after lunch at 2 p.m. and are usually finished before dinner at 6-6:30 p.m. </p><p>“Wala naman pakain at bawal din kumain sa courtroom just like sa ibang courtroom wala naman pagkain. Binibigyan lang ng coffee at water,” he said.</p><p>He likened the Senate impeachment court to a regular court wherein lawyers are not given food.</p><p>“Kung ihahambing sa ibang court, sa Supreme Cort o ordinary court, hindi naman pinapakain ang abogado,” he said.</p><p>Gatchalian said the impeachment trial is also taking a bite out the Senate budget since the defense and prosecution teams as well as the media are occupying all but 2 of the available committee rooms in the Senate building.</p><p>“Those used for impeachment, libre ‘yun. Kami na ang gumagastos,” he said.</p><p>However, he said the Senate is also studying renting space at the nearby Philippine International Convention Center for the upcoming budget hearings for 2027.</p><p>“Ang rent ng space hindi lang ‘yung espasyo. Pagkain, logistics, sound system na tinitignan namin makakadagdag ng gasto sa committee hearings,” he said.</p><p>For his part, Atty. Michael Poa, spokesperson of Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team, said it is understandable if the Senate cannot shoulder the costs for a caterer for the defense, adding that the prosecution is paying for its own food. </p><p>“Kung papakainin lahat, that would entail some budget. Nung pre trial, meron food pero itong trial wala po,” he said. </p><p>He added: “Hindi namn isyu ‘yan. Ang most pressing ‘yung legal issues. Ang tanong d’yan kung nakakakain. Minsan dahl sa stress di na nakakakain.”</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ladF1Dk25Y4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WPcUCwfxJQE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Friday described as “irregular” the Office of the Vice-President’s request that the Senate shoulder the cost for the OVP's own caterer for the VP’s defense team while the impeachment trial is ongoing.</p>

Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Friday described as “irregular” the Office of the Vice-President’s request that the Senate shoulder the cost for the OVP's own caterer for the VP’s defense team while the impeachment trial is ongoing.