Quezon City 3rd District Represetative Franz Pumaren (File photo dated October 26, 2018 from INQUIRER / NINO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte can file cases against the House of Representatives if he believes the chamber is the most rotten government organization and that it has pork barrels being distributed by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Quezon City 3rd District Representative Franz Pumaren said on Monday that the former Chief Executive must present concrete evidence to prove his accusations.
“As the good former president should know, we, as lawmakers duly elected by our respective constituents to represent their interests, do not respond well to threats and intimidation,” Pumaren said in a statement.
“If his allegations have bases, then he should go to the proper channels and file charges,” he told the former President.
Duterte’s accusations surfaced during an interview with Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), where he supposedly threatened ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro.
Castro was among the lawmakers who had pushed for the realignment of the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, heads these government offices.
“To insinuate bodily harm or even the murder of a member of the House of Representatives, this has gone too far,” said Pumaren.
“We urge the former president to be cautious and reasonable in his criticisms. There are more peaceful and effective ways to send his message through,” he added.
Pumaren was referring to Duterte’s statements in the SMNI interview.
Duterte had remarked that he advised his daughter to just be frank about where she would use the proposed CF — to kill communists like Castro allegedly.
OVP and DepEd requested CF worth P500 million and P150 million for 2024, but the House slashed the proposed amount.
According to House leaders, CF of civilian agencies that do not have mandates to perform surveillance should be realigned to agencies patrolling the West Philippine Sea.
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