Budget for Sara’s impeachment trial set under P1M – Escudero

Senate President Francis Escudero (File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the upper chamber is poised to spend less than a million for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Escudero said the estimated cost does not include lawyer fees, explaining that the chamber intends to engage with the “services of some practicing lawyers and law firms,” although the matter has yet to be finalized.

“[S]a tingin ko, labas ang lawyer fees, because we plan to engage the services of some practicing lawyers and law firm[s] although hindi pa nasasapinal ‘yon, ‘yon wala pang amount. Wala pa sigurong isang milyon ang gagastusin namin,” said Escudero.

READ: Poll campaign should not delay Sara’s impeachment trial – lawyer

(Excluding lawyer fees, because we plan to engage the services of some practicing lawyers and law firms, although it has yet to be finalized, I think we will spend less than a million.)

Impeachment trial budget

Included in this ballpark figure are the following:

• Robe (which costs approximately P6,000 to P8,000 each with each senator-judge to be given two)
• Identification Cards for visitors
• Honoraria

READ: Sara Duterte’s bank records eyed in impeachment trial – lawmaker

“Yung lawyer fees, ‘yon ang wala pa. Pero ‘yong basic preparations, ‘yong lamesa, ‘yong gan’on mga one lang kasi ‘yong kuryente gano’n din naman, ‘yong aircon, ‘yong tubig gano’n din pareho lang din naman. Hindi naman magbabago, hindi naman kailangang dagdagan pa ‘yon, because we do hold sessions in the morning sometimes, we do hold committee hearings in the morning so it’s going to be the same,” said Escudero.

(Lawyer fees are not yet included. But basic preparations including tables, electricity, aircon, water — that’s all the same. It won’t change ,and nothing will be adjusted because we do hold sessions in the morning sometimes, we do hold committee hearings in the morning, so it’s going to be the same.)

READ: VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial to begin after SONA – Escudero

The Senate chief said each senator-judge may have their own additional expenses, but it would be charged to their respective offices.

“Most, if not all, have law firms retained to advise them on legal matters so, kasama na ‘yon sa budget nila hindi na kami maglalabas ng dagdag pera pa doon,” he said.

(Most, if not all, have law firms retained to advise them on legal matters so that’s included in their budget so there’s no need for us to have an additional budget for that.)

The Senate’s top leader disclosed that the impeachment trial against Duterte will commence after President Bongbong Marcos’ fourth State of the Nation Address in July.