2 weeks Ago By Dwight de Leon
MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte’s refusal to answer questions regarding her past confidential expenses prompted some congressmen to consider a lower budget for her office in 2025, and at least one lawmaker to voluntarily bring up the dreaded “impeachment” word. House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers said in a press release on Friday, August 30, that the notice of disallowance , slapped by the Commission on Audit (COA) on the Office of the Vice President (OVP) regarding alleged irregularities in the disbursement of P73 million out of her P125 million in confidential funds in 2022, is tantamount to misuse of public funds. “ Sa paglulustay ng confidential funds, sa panahong kulang na kulang ang pondo para sa serbisyong publiko, at sa pagtangging ipaliwanag ito sa taumbayan, malinaw na may batayan ang impeachment (The misappropriation of confidential funds at a time when we are lacking funds for public services, and her refusal to offer an explanation, are clear bases for impeachment),” Castro asserted.
“Her stonewalling on legitimate questions from members of the House regarding her use of public funds showed utter disrespect for the basic principles of check-and-balance, transparency, and accountability of public officials entrusted with the people’s money, all of which are enshrined in the Constitution that she swore to uphold,” she added. Lawmakers, even members of the leftist Makabayan bloc of which Castro is a part of, do not throw around the “impeachment” word lightly. When Castro said last year that there had been talks of Duterte’s impeachment among some lawmakers, the House leadership immediately debunked her claim, and Castro later clarified that such discussions were informal.
When Duterte faced lawmakers on Tuesday, August 27, she doubled down on her belief that members of Congress have been plotting to remove her from office. “ Bilang isang kaibigan (as a friend), I will not violate the confidence of a few members of the House of Representatives who have either recorded conversations or participated in shared conversations regarding impeachment proceedings against me,” she said in her opening speech. Play Video Duterte then told the appropriations panel that she would forgo the opportunity to defend her proposed 2025 budget, but committee senior vice chairperson Stella Quimbo pushed through with the proceedings, frustrating the Vice President who stuck with her scripted responses to most of the questions asked.
She also interrupted Quimbo numerous times, attempted to fire her from the presiding officer’s chair even though she cannot do that, accused Makabayan lawmakers of communist ties, and questioned House rules. Duterte also insisted that questions regarding her confidential expenses in 2022 should be out of the picture because the hearing was about her proposed 2025 budget. Lower budget The House panel deferred deliberations on the OVP’s budget request of P2.
037 billion for next year, which means it has not been elevated to the plenary, unlike other government agencies. A new round of deliberations is scheduled on September 10. But what if she still refuses to cooperate? “I will still give her the benefit of the doubt, na bigyan natin siya ng opportunity sa (give her the opportunity on) September 10,” Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua said in a Rappler Talk interview on Friday.
“But if she continues to act that way, maybe, we will call for the reduction of her budget.” “If ever that she will not refrain from her behavioral pattern that was shown in the last hearing, I think we need to reduce the budget given to her,” Santa Rosa, Laguna Representative Dan Fernandez separately told Rappler. “ Hindi naman ako magmo-move, but I will suggest na talagang bawasan natin ng kalahati ‘yung budget (I won’t make a motion, but I will suggest that her budget be reduced by half).
” Play Video House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre said it is difficult to assess the budget proposal of the OVP because Duterte did not explain how she arrived at those figures. “Half of her budget is almost to social services which I feel could be better served by integrating with mainstream programs of the government,” Acidre told Rappler on Thursday. “ Ito ang gusto kong baon.
Pero wala kang sasabihin kung saan mo gagamitin (She’s like a kid demanding her parents for more allowance, but will not say how she would use the money.),” he added. – Rappler.
com.
