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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ridon pokes holes into Imee Marcos' claim that 2026 budget is tailored for VP Sara impeachment

Ridon pokes holes into Imee Marcos' claim that 2026 budget is tailored for VP Sara impeachment

Published Jan 8, 2026 11:09 am  |  Updated Jan 8, 2026 05:39 pm

At A Glance

  • Senator Imee Marcos' claim that the 2026 national budget worth P6.793 trillion was tailored to facilitate Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment this year does not hold water.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (left), Senator Imee Marcos (Facebook)
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (left), Senator Imee Marcos (Facebook)


Senator Imee Marcos' claim that the 2026 national budget worth P6.793 trillion was tailored to facilitate Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment this year does not hold water.
Thus, said. Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, even as the prohibition on the filing of new impeachment complaint against the lady official would get lifted in less than a month's time.
"Tingin ko walang batayan po para sabihin (I think there is no basis to say) that there are funds being made available to impeach the Vice President at this point," Ridon said in a press briefing Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Earlier, Senator Marcos, an ally of the Vice President, was quoted as saying: ""Ginigiling [ang budget] para pagulungin ang impeachment ni Inday [Sara] (The budget is being chopped up to move Inday Sara's impeachment forward),"
According to Ridon, the basis for impeachment in 2025 has not changed for 2026, should there be a new complaint filed and pursued by House members.
"Impeachments proceedings are based on quests for truth and accountability particularly on the use of confidential funds," said the lawyer-solon.
Duterte made history last year when she became the first ever Vice President to get impeached by the House of Representatives. The complaint--adopted in plenary on Feb. 5, 2025--contained seven articles of impeachment, including the alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds.
But the particular complaint was struck down by the Supreme Court (SC) on the issue of constitutionality. The House has filed a motion for reconsideration (MR) but there is as yet no resolution to the matter.
"I think whatever moves that happen by the...6th of February will be undertaken independently of whatever it is that is being alleged [by Senator Marcos]," Ridon noted.
"[Because] impeachments proceedings naman po are not based on projects that are promised," he pointed out.
"So if House members or civil society would want to find it again as soon as the one year ban is finished, I think they are free to do so and I don't think they will be motivated by any promises of any projects for 2026," Ridon said.
Senator Marcos served as a conferee during last month's Bicameral Conference Committee hearings on the national budget.
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