By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin on Wednesday criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s request for the Senate to shoulder the catering expenses of her defense team during the impeachment trial, describing the proposal as both “improper” and unusual in judicial proceedings.
Speaking during a press briefing, Garin said the defense has every right to choose its own food service provider, but maintained that asking the Senate Impeachment Court to pay for those expenses crosses the line.
“The defense has the right to request its preferred caterer, and we respect that. But asking the Senate to shoulder the expenses is highly improper,” Garin said.
She pointed out that the Office of the Vice President has its own operating budget and may legally charge legitimate expenses incurred in connection with the impeachment proceedings.
“The Vice President has an office and those expenses can be charged to the OVP,” she added.
Duterte’s request, contained in a July 7 letter addressed to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, sought authority for food and beverages to be supplied exclusively by the OVP’s accredited caterer and served only inside the defense team’s designated holding room, citing security concerns. The letter also asked that the Senate shoulder the corresponding costs for the defense panel, support staff and witnesses.
Garin said such an arrangement is virtually unheard of in ordinary court proceedings and could create an unfortunate public perception.
“It is quite funny. You do not normally see lawyers asking the court to pay for the meals of the defense panel,” she remarked.
She also clarified that the independence of the impeachment court would only be compromised if either the prosecution or the defense were the ones financing the meals of the senator-judges, something that is strictly prohibited.
However, Garin raised concerns over the reasoning cited in Duterte’s request, saying it could be interpreted as casting doubt on the Senate’s ability to provide safe food for those participating in the trial.
According to Garin, requiring meals to come only from the OVP’s accredited caterer due to alleged security concerns may be viewed as an indirect suggestion that food prepared within Senate premises could be unsafe.
“That may even be offensive to the Senate because it appears to suggest that someone would poison those participating in the proceedings. That is far-fetched, and no reasonable person would expect such a thing inside the Senate,” she said.
The issue follows an earlier request from the Office of the Vice President to bring appliances, including a refrigerator and coffee maker, into the defense holding area—an arrangement that Senate officials said was not unusual, noting that both prosecution and defense panels may bring their own equipment and contract their own caterers.
Senate officials have already clarified that while the defense may procure its preferred catering service, the Senate will not shoulder the expenses for the meals requested by Duterte’s legal team.
ia/xf
