Breaking Down the ₱150 Million Impeachment Bribery Claim: Fact or Fiction?

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A viral claim is making rounds that each lawmaker who signed Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment received ₱150 million, supposedly sourced from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), and infrastructure project funds.

Sounds scandalous, right? But let’s take a step back and analyze whether this claim holds any water.

How AICS and AKAP Actually Work

AICS and AKAP are social welfare programs managed exclusively by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)—not Congress.

AICS provides financial, medical, burial, transportation, and educational assistance to Filipinos in crisis situations.

AKAP is a cash aid program aimed at helping minimum wage earners cope with inflation.

Most importantly, lawmakers don’t control these funds. They can only refer people in their districts, but the DSWD distributes the aid, not politicians. No lawmaker can withdraw these funds like a personal ATM.

Even DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian made it clear: politicians are prohibited from being involved in cash aid disbursements.

READ: DSWD says AKAP beneficiaries don’t need political backers

READ: DSWD won’t allow politicians to distribute AKAP cash aid

So, if the alleged ₱150 million "bribe" is supposed to come from AICS and AKAP, how exactly is that possible when these programs don’t operate that way?

Infrastructure Funds Go Through DPWH, Not Lawmakers

Infrastructure funding follows strict government protocols:

Congress approves the General Appropriations Act (GAA), which includes funding for infrastructure projects.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and other implementing agencies handle the funds.

Lawmakers can propose projects for their districts, but they don’t control or release the money.

So if anyone claims that legislators personally received ₱150 million in infrastructure funds, where’s the paper trail?

Let’s Do the Math: Where’s the ₱32.25 Billion Coming From?

If 215 lawmakers allegedly got ₱150 million each, that means a total of:

₱150 million x 215 lawmakers = ₱32.25 billion

Here’s the problem:

The 2025 national budget (GAA) was already approved before the impeachment complaint was signed.

Any budget allocation must be accounted for in the GAA.

Where in the budget is this mysterious ₱32.25 billion?

If such an amount had been inserted into the national budget, it would have been impossible to hide.

Where’s the Evidence?

Let’s be real: if lawmakers were really bribed, where are the receipts?

Unless someone can produce an official document saying,

“Thanks for signing the impeachment, here’s your ₱150 million for AICS, AKAP, and infrastructure!”

…then this entire narrative is just hearsay and fake news.

Final Verdict: Pure Political Noise

While the idea of bribery in politics is nothing new, this particular claim does not make logical sense.

AICS and AKAP funds don’t go to lawmakers.

Infrastructure budgets go through DPWH, not Congress.

The 2025 budget was already approved before the impeachment.

Without solid evidence, this claim is nothing more than a political stunt designed to stir controversy.

Stay vigilant. Question narratives. Demand proof.

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