Politics · Philippines Bureau
Palace invites Duterte to attend budget hearings amid impeachment row
Malacañang has urged Vice President Sara Duterte to participate in bicameral committee discussions on the 2027 national budget, seeking to address her concerns about fund allocation. The invitation follows Duterte's allegations that the budget proposal is being weaponized in her ongoing impeachment proceedings.
LSN Philippines ·
The Palace issued the invitation on Thursday as tensions persist between the executive branch and the Vice President over the proposed national spending plan. Officials suggested that direct participation in the bicameral conference committee hearings would provide Duterte with comprehensive insight into budgetary allocations and justify the government's fiscal priorities.
Duterte has previously raised concerns that the budget framework is being strategically deployed to influence senators presiding over her impeachment trial and to reward political allies. Her claims have added another layer of complexity to an already contentious political landscape in the Philippines.
The bicameral committee, composed of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, is responsible for reconciling different versions of the budget before final congressional approval. Palace officials maintained that the budget process operates independently of political considerations and invited Duterte to review the evidence firsthand.
The development underscores deepening rifts within the administration as various factions navigate legislative priorities and competing political interests. Duterte's response to the invitation remained unclear as of Thursday evening.