By Samantha Yu
MANILA — Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III pushed back strongly against Senator Imee Marcos’ accusation that the 2026 budget was designed to pave the way for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment. Calling the charge “unfair and baseless,” Sotto underscored that the General Appropriations Act already prohibits politicians from dangling financial aid to lawmakers.
Marcos had claimed that the budget signed by her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was fragmented into allocations that could serve as “soft pork” for political purposes. She warned that a new impeachment complaint could surface in February once the one‑year restriction ends.
Sotto maintained that the Senate would block any attempt to exploit the budget, stressing that existing provisions safeguard against political interference in aid distribution.